


The Princess of Erebor (A Hobbit Story)

by Pinktree26



Series: The Princess of Erebor [1]
Category: The Hobbit, The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-17
Updated: 2018-09-18
Packaged: 2019-05-08 00:47:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 21
Words: 25,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14682981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pinktree26/pseuds/Pinktree26
Summary: Thorin Oakenshield had a daughter. However, he knew not of her. She was taken from Erebor before Smaug came. Gandalf the Grey gave her to a Hobbit by the name of Bilbo Baggins. There she stayed for the next years, unaware of her lineage. Then, one day, a Company of Dwarves come into her and her father's lives.





	1. Prologue

    Long ago, there was the greatest Dwarven kingdom of Erebor. It's wealth was in gold and gems. Rubies, sapphires, emeralds, diamonds; all were glittering in trays to be examined by the professionals. Thror was the King, his line secure in the lives of his son, Thrain, and his grandson, Thorin. 

    Unknown to many, Thorin once fell in love. It didn't last long, but it was enough for his love to have a baby girl. To protect her, Gandalf the Grey took her in the middle of the night, changing her name to Lauranna. He gave her to a nice Hobbit by the name of Bilbo Baggins. Thorin was completely unaware of his daughter, not knowing she was even alive, let alone where she was. 

    It was a good thing that Gandalf had hidden her away, for soon, Smaug came to destroy the Mountain and take the treasure within. Smaug brought the city of Dale to its knees, turning it to ashes. The dragon went on to claim Erebor as his own, killing all in his way. The Elves of Greenwood merely watched the destruction, leading to the hateful relationship between the Elves and Dwarves. 

    Far away in the Shire, Bilbo Baggins had found a baby girl on his door step. He took her in as his own, knowing he couldn't let a little, innocent life stay outside. A letter had been tucked into the blanket with the girl. 

    'This is Lauranna. Take care of her for me. I will come back when the time is right for her to return home. It is a dangerous business to have her with me at this moment. She will be a very kind, caring, and lovable woman.'  

    Bilbo did indeed take came of her for the next years. He wondered who her real parents were but never bothered to tell her that she was not his own. He knew it would break her heart, and he didn't want to hurt her. Therefore, Lauranna lived her nice quiet life without a clue of who she really was. Until, when chance came, an old man in grey came to talk to her and her father.


	2. The Start of an Adventure

~60 Years Later~ 

 

Bilbo and his daughter were outside, sitting on the bench in the garden. While Bilbo was smoking his pipe, Lauranna was playing with her dagger. She had her bow on the bench next to her, quiver on her back. The red-feathered arrows poked up above her shoulder for easy access. The dagger had a twin strapped to her back, under the quiver. She wore an array of forest colors. A dark green tunic was held in place by a brown belt. Dark grey leggings were slightly hidden under her black leather boots. A cloak of green and brown was on her back. The hood was currently resting on her back, allowing her black hair to fall freely in a straight curtain. Her hair was short but looked no less feminine. In her belt was an array of throwing knives, hidden under the cloak. Her green eyes were focused on the dagger on her finger, watching it carefully. 

Bilbo, on the other hand, was wearing a simple white shirt with a yellow waistcoat. He was also wearing brown leggings. As all Hobbits, he wore no shoes. All Hobbits had rather large feet covered in a thick layer of hair to keep them warm. The skin was tough, as well, making it unnecessary to wear any footwear. Bilbo had his eyes closed as he let out another smoke ring. 

Lauranna rolled her eyes at her father, disapproving of his smoking. Didn't he know smoking could destroy your lungs? Apparently not, as he did it without hesitation. She noticed a figure walk up and watched as the smoke ring turned into a butterfly and flew into Bilbo's face. This caused him to cough, making Lauranna snicker. Bilbo glanced at her before turning to the figure. 

It was an old man dressed in grey. His silvery grey hair was rather long for a man. A pointy hat sat atop his head, grey robes hanging off his shoulders. In his hand was a wooden staff. He was on the other side of the gate, watching the two intently. Lauranna raised an eyebrow. 

"Good morning," Bilbo said. 

"What do you mean 'good morning'? Do you mean to wish me a good morning, or that it is a good morning whether I want it or not? Or perhaps you mean you feel good on this particular morning, or are you simply stating this is a morning to be good on?" the stranger asked. 

"All of them at once," Lauranna answered for her father. 

"Can we help you?" Bilbo asked. 

"I am looking for someone to share in an adventure," he replied. 

While Bilbo looked flustered, Lauranna felt ecstatic. An adventure?! She would finally get to see the world. It would be amazing! Of course, her father wouldn't want her running off to some dangerous quest and almost die a hundred, if not more, times. She was so excited that she barely noticed Bilbo scurrying up the steps to the door. 

"To think I would've lived to be 'good morning-ed' by Belladonna Took's son, as if I was selling buttons at the door," the stranger said. 

"I am sorry. Do I know you?" Bilbo asked. 

"Well you know my name, but you don't remember I belong to it. I am Gandalf. And Gandalf means... me," he answered. 

"Not Gandalf the Wandering Wizard that made such excellent fireworks?! Old Took used to hold them on Mid-Summer's Eve! Ha, ha! I had no idea you were still in business," Bilbo muttered. 

"I'm glad to see you remember something about me, even if it's only my fireworks. Well, that's settled then. It'll be very good for you, and most amusing for me," Gandalf said. "I shall inform the others."

"Inform who...? No, wait, wait, wait. We do not want any adventures here, thank you. I suggest you try Over the Hill or Across the Water," Bilbo cried out. "Good morning."

With that, Bilbo hurried into the house, closing and locking the door. Lauranna looked at Gandalf, who was watching her intently. 

"My dear, you are a Dwarf. I also advise you to make a lot of food for tonight. We are expecting at least thirteen to join us here tonight," he said, moving to the door and putting his staff near it. 

The girl watched as he carved a glowing blue rune resembling an F into the green door. He turned and winked at her before moving out of the garden. She watched him leave, mulling over his words. 

'You are a Dwarf. Make food for thirteen.'

She sighed and knew she had to comply with it, whether Bilbo liked it or not. She moved to the door and waited for Bilbo to open it. Once he did, she moved to the kitchen to make the food. Bilbo, of course, tried to protest, but she ignored him. She was merely following orders. Something in the back of her head told her that Gandalf was telling the truth about her being a Dwarf. She sighed again, knowing she had to wait for him to return with whoever was coming to get her questions answered.


	3. The Revelation

    Bilbo had given in and helped prepare the food for the guests. The two of them ate before the knock on the door drew their attention. Lauranna stood up and moved to the door before Bilbo could protest. She opened the door to reveal a grumpy-looking Dwarf. He turned when the door opened and seemed a little confused as to why she was there. 

    "Dwalin, at your service," he said, bowing. 

    "Lauranna at yours," the young woman said with a bow of her own. 

    "Gandalf never said anything about a girl," he muttered more to himself than anyone else.  

    "The dining room is down there," she said, ignoring him and pointing in the direction of the food. 

    He nodded and moved off. Lauranna remained by the door, knowing there was more to come. A few minutes later, a doorbell was rung. She opened it to see an older Dwarf. He also seemed more kind than Dwalin. 

    "Balin, at your service," he said, bowing. 

    "Lauranna at yours," she replied like last time. 

    "Nice to meet you Miss Lauranna. Am I late?" Balin asked. 

    "No. The only other one here is Dwalin. He should be in the dining room," she answered. 

    He nodded and moved off to the dining room. Soon, the bell rang again. This time, two younger-looking Dwarves stood there. They seemed to freeze when they saw her. 

    "Fili," the blonde said, nudging his companion. 

    "And Kili," the dark-haired one added. 

    "At your service," they said in unison with a deep bow. 

    "Come on in," Lauranna said. "My name is Lauranna. If you want, you can call me Anna."

    "Ok, Anna. Careful with these. We just had them sharpened," Kili said with a smile, handing her a pile of weapons. 

    She took the weapons with ease just as Fili hit his brother over the head. 

    "You idiot! She's a girl! Do you honestly think that - " Fili started. 

    He was interrupted, however, by a dagger flying past his ear, missing by a centimeter. They looked over at Lauranna, who was acting as though nothing had happened. She looked up and frowned. 

    "Is everything okay?" she asked. 

    "Did you throw that?" Kili replied. 

    "Throw what?"

    "The dagger."

    "What dagger?"

    "This one," Fili said, pulling the blade out of the wall. 

    Lauranna merely stared at him, confused. She was an excellent liar, and she knew it. Fili sighed and put the dagger away, moving to help Dwalin and Balin with making room for everyone. Kili watched the woman in front of him with a sense of curiosity. The ring followed shortly after Kili left. She opened the door and watched with amusement as a big pile of Dwarves toppled in. Gandalf was standing behind them and smiled at the girl. They all moved off to the dining room, but Lauranna quickly figured out that one was missing as she did a head count. She heard Gandalf rattle off their names as he too counted. 

    "Dwalin, Balin, Fili, Kili, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Ori, Nori, Dori, Oin, Gloin," he muttered. "We appear to be one Dwarf short."

    "He journeyed north to a meeting with our kin. He will come," Dwalin assured. 

    Lauranna chuckle slightly, waiting by the door. She heard the commotion in the dining room as easily as if she were there with them. Eventually, the sound of singing filled the house, making her laugh. Three loud knocks caused the whole house to fall silent. 

    Lauranna opened the door to see the last Dwarf, a man with black hair streaked with silver. A dark blue cloak was draped over his shoulders, clasped together under his chin. He seemed surprised to see a woman there, much less a Dwarven one. 

    "Gandalf," he said, spotting the Wizard. "I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice. I wouldn't have found it at all if it weren't for that mark on the door."

    "Mark? There is no mark on that door! It was painted a week ago!" Bilbo told him. 

    "There is indeed a mark there. I put it there myself," Gandalf informed him. "Bilbo, Lauranna, let me introduce you to the head of our Company, Thorin Oakenshield."

    "So this is the Hobbit. Tell me, Master Baggins, have you done much fighting?" Thorin asked. "Axe or sword? What's your weapon of choice?"

    "I do have some skill at conkers if you must know. But I fail to see why that's relevant," Bilbo said. 

    "Thought as much. He's more of a grocer than a burglar," Thorin muttered. 

    "Hey! Who do you think you are to be mean to someone who you don't even know?! I will not have you being rude to your host! You might think you are the most powerful being in this house as of right now, but that does not mean you get to boss the owners of said house around! You say another bad word against Bilbo Baggins, and I will personally beat you up!" Lauranna spat angrily. 

    All eyes turned to the young woman to see she was shaking with rage, just barely managing to keep herself from pouncing on him. Thorin was shocked that someone would speak to him in such a way. 

    "I am the King Under the Mountain. You will do as you are told," he said icily. 

    "I am sorry, but I don't see how you can be a King without a Mountain. The Mountain was taken by a dragon, in case you have forgotten. As of this moment, Smaug is the King of the Lonely Mountain. Now, you need to listen to me, Bilbo, and Gandalf. Me and Bilbo because this is our house, and Gandalf because he is a Wizard. Now get to the dining room! Go!" Lauranna shouted at him at the end. 

    Thorin was so shocked he actually obeyed her commands. He quickly moved to the dining room, sitting at the head of the table while the others sat around it. Gandalf sat next to Thorin, who had his back to Lauranna and Bilbo. The young woman was still seething in anger, keeping her glare on Thorin's back. The Dwarf King could feel it and shuddered slightly. Lauranna was so angry she didn't hear what was being said until Gandalf said her name. 

    "Lauranna is to come as well," the Wizard said. 

    "Why?" Thorin asked. 

    "Because it is her right as well," he answered. 

    The whole house was silent. Lauranna stared at Gandalf in shock and confusion. 

    "You, my dear, are Lauranna Alea Durin," Gandalf told her. 

    Lauranna was left staring at him like he was insane. She felt Thorin's shocked gaze on her, but she ignored him. 

    "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice low. 

    "You are the daughter of Thorin," the Wizard answered. 

    "WHAT?!" Lauranna shouted so loud that the dishes rattled. 

    Everyone jumped. Lauranna's anger was spiking again, and Bilbo wisely scurried out of the room. She looked like she was about to breathe fire. Gandalf flinched under her gaze, knowing he should have told her earlier. 

    "I'm sorry I never told you earlier, My Lady. I thought it was best if you didn't know," he said quietly. 

    "If you think that you were protecting me from something by not telling me that Thorin is my father, you are stupid! It hurts worse if you don't tell them because then the person's life feels like a lie! One big, hurtful lie!" she screamed at him, drawing her dagger. 

    She moved to hit Gandalf when Thorin intercepted her. Her murderous glare turned to him, freezing him in place. 

    "Did you know?" she asked, her voice trembling. "Did you know?!"

    Thorin slowly shook his head. She dropped her arm, replacing her dagger. Her anger had worn off, making her tired. 

    "I had no clue I had a daughter," Thorin said softly, reaching out to her. 

    She pushed his hand away and stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind her. Thorin turned to Gandalf, angry. 

    "You never told me about her. Why?" he asked. 

    "I hid her to protect you both. If you knew, you would want to keep her with you, putting her in danger. Since the Shire is the most peaceful place in Middle-Earth, I sent her here. If she had been with you, she might've gotten killed. She has a special power that has never been seen before. She can control the elements. Fire, air, water, earth, electricity, weather, temperature, ice, and air pressure. People would want her for her power, turn her into a weapon. She doesn't know she has this power yet. I will teach her how to use it. She doesn't need any training with a weapon, for she already knows how. You will leave me to tell her about her powers. Now do you understand why I hid her?" Gandalf explained. 

    Thorin just looked at him before sitting down with a sigh, head in his hands. They continued on with the meeting, giving the contract to Bilbo after a while. He was not really wanting to do anything with the adventure, unsure of what to do. 

    "I will get Lauranna," Gandalf said. 

    He left the house and found Lauranna sitting on the bench, not even acknowledging his presence. He sat next to her in silence for a minute before speaking. 

    "I'm sorry for not telling you. I realize now it was a mistake. I must ask you something," the Wizard said. "Have you ever noticed anything strange when you come into any contact with nature? For example, have you ever gotten too close to a fire, close enough to be burned, and yet never were?"

    "Yes. There is something I do not understand. Can you help me?" she asked hesitantly. 

    She was still angry at him for not telling her sooner but pushed it aside. 

    "Of course I will help you. I will not hide anymore important information. Now, let's go inside," he said. 

    She did and found the contract on the chair. She saw there were two places on the parchment, one for her and the other for Bilbo. She signed the first one, hoping Bilbo would sign the other. She looked up to see Thorin watching her. She stood up and was about to turn away when he grabbed her wrist. 

    "I wanted to say that I am grateful for you joining us. I will protect you to my last breath. I will do anything I can," he whispered, his eyes soft. 

    She nodded as Fili and Kili walked up. They were smiling, which made her frown. 

    "Smile, cousin. It's good for you," Fili said. 

    Her eyes widened as she realized that they were her cousins. She wasn't expecting this at all. Kili bounded over and nearly knocked her over in a hug. She wasn't expecting it and stumbled backwards. Fili joined the hug, and Lauranna looked at Thorin over Kili's shoulder. A smile was on his face as he watched his daughter get tackled into a hug by his nephews. She hesitantly hugged them back, making them tighten their hold and nearly squeeze all the air out of her. 

    "Can't... breathe," she managed to say. 

    The two brothers let her go instantly. They seemed a bit embarrassed. They all went to the living room where a fire was glowing. 

    "Far over the Misty Mountains cold,

    To dungeons deep and caverns old."

    Lauranna was singing a song she had heard in a dream once. The Dwarves looked at her in surprise. Thorin joined in with Kili and Fili. 

    "We must away 'ere break of day,

    To seek our long-forgotten gold."

    The others slowly joined in as well. 

    "The pines were roaring on the height,

    The winds were moaning in the night. 

    The fire was red, it flaming spread.

    The trees like torches blazed with light."

    Lauranna went to her room to pack up her stuff. Once she packed her clothes, she got her essentials out of her bathroom, stuffing them into the bag as well. She grabbed a few handkerchiefs as well. She grabbed some food and packed it as well. She then dragged it all out to the living room, where the other Dwarves were asleep. Only one was not, leaning in the shadows. Thorin watched his daughter lay down on the couch and fall asleep. He pulled a blanket over her to keep her warm before sitting next to her. He fell asleep holding her hand in his. His little girl.

A/N: The song is The Misty Mountains by the Company of Thorin Oakenshield


	4. A Vision of the Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The song is I'm Coming Home by Skylar Grey

Lauranna was shaken awake, sitting bolt upright. She was covered in sweat, tangled in the blanket. She looked around frantically as though she expected to be attacked. She calmed down a bit when she saw Thorin's face watching her. 

"Are you okay?" he asked. 

It was then that she noticed it was dawn, and she looked at the Dwarves around her, noticing that they were concerned. She took a deep breath to calm herself down. Her dream was more of a vision of the future. And it was one she did not want to come true. 

Lauranna was watching from a bird's eye view on a frozen river. A crumbling stone watchtower was on one side of the river, and the broken remains of a bridge was visible. On the other side, the way to get to the watchtower was carved into the stone. Lauranna didn't have time to appreciate the architecture for there was a battle going on. 

Azog was holding Fili over the edge of the watchtower, a few floors from the ground. Kili was below him, looking up in horror. Thorin, Dwalin, and Bilbo were on the opposite side of the river, not able to help. Azog spoke in the Black Speech before stabbing Fili in the back. Azog dropped Fili onto the ground in front of Kili. The younger brother was seething, and he went after Azog. Thorin and Dwalin ran over the river. Thorin was attacked by Azog while Tauriel ran to help Kili. However, Bolg came out of nowhere and killed Kili, stabbing him in the chest. Azog and Thorin were now on the ice of the river, Azog's bladed arm hovering over Thorin's chest. Thorin held a sword between his hands, trying to get the blade away from him. Finally, he gave up and let the blade crash through his chest. In his final act, he killed the Pale Orc. The line of Durin was wiped out, except one. Lauranna saw herself running up to the watchtower, finding her family dead on the ground. She broke down into sobs, feeling her heart clench in pain and grief. Bilbo was there, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. The rest of the Company had gathered around the three bodies, now placed beside each other, and bowed in respect. The dreaming Lauranna had to turn away, hearing her own pleads with her family to come back ringing in her ears. 

"Are you okay, Lauranna?" Thorin asked, snapping her out of her thoughts. 

"I'm fine. Don't worry. Just a bad dream," she mumbled. 

"What was it about?" Kili asked, curious. 

The others saw Lauranna pale at the thought of telling him what she saw. She didn't want to tell her cousin how he was going to die. The others saw her hesitation and glared at the young Durin. 

"Come with me, my dear," Gandalf called. 

She obeyed, following him into the trees. He turned to look at her, frowning. 

"Tell me what you saw," Gandalf said. 

With a sigh, Lauranna told him everything she could remember. He never interrupted, merely listened intently. When she was finished, he nodded. 

"This is a vision of what will come. However, you can change the course of the future. You must be able to change the fate of your family. This battle worries me, though. You said five different armies?" Gandalf asked. 

"Dwarves, Men, Elves, Orcs, and Eagles. That's five armies. Gandalf, I will need your help if I am to save them. Should I tell them?" she asked. 

"No. You must change it yourself," the Wizard replied. 

She nodded, walking back to the camp with him. All eyes turned to her when she entered. Thorin came over, looking her over. 

"You didn't do anything to hurt her, did you?" he asked Gandalf. 

"No. He helped me make sense of the dream I had. Only he would have figured it out," Lauranna answered before the Wizard could. 

Thorin frowned but didn't push the subject. That day was filled with rain. Lauranna didn't mind the rain at all. Instead, she was laughing and had her hood down to allow the rain to splash on her face. 

"Can you sing a song?" Bofur asked. 

"Sure. Let me think of one," she answered. 

She was silent for a moment before singing. 

"And the blood will dry underneath my nails. 

And the wind will rise up to fill my sails. 

So you can doubt, and you can hate

But I know, no matter what it takes,

I'm coming home, I'm coming home,

Tell the world that I'm coming.

Let the rain wash away all the pain of yesterday. 

I know my kingdom awaits, and they've forgiven my mistakes. 

I'm coming home, I'm coming home. 

Tell the world that I'm coming home. 

Still far away from where I belong, 

But it's always darkest before the dawn. 

So you can doubt, and you can hate

But I know, no matter what it takes, 

I'm coming home, I'm coming home,

Tell the world that I'm coming home. 

Let the rain wash away all the pain of yesterday. 

I know my kingdom awaits, and they've forgiven my mistakes. 

I'm coming home, I'm coming home,

Tell the world that I'm coming. 

I'm coming home, I'm coming home,

Tell the world that I'm coming home. 

Let the rain wash away all the pain of yesterday. 

I know my kingdom awaits, and they've forgiven my mistakes. 

I'm coming home, I'm coming home, 

Tell the world that I'm coming home."

The group was quiet after the song, listening to the lyrics. It reminded them that they were indeed coming home to Erebor. It was also raining. They let all their worries wash away with the drops of water, feeling immensely better when they did. They were happier, more joyful and hopeful. They smiled at Lauranna, though she didn't notice. She was lost in her own world of thoughts.


	5. Trouble

They stopped at a run-down and broken cottage. Gandalf wandered into it a bit, looking around. 

"A farmer and his family used to live here," he muttered. 

Thorin walked after him. He looked at the Wizard and then the house. Lauranna followed the two into the ruins. 

"I think it would be wiser to move on. We could make for the Hidden Valley," Lauranna muttered. 

"I told Gandalf, I will not go near that place," Thorin replied icily. 

"Why not? The Elves could help us," Gandalf argued. 

"Help? A dragon attacks Erebor. What help came from the Elves?" Thorin asked. 

"Are they the same ones that merely watched you burn, or is it a different race of Elves?" Lauranna snapped back. 

Thorin looked at her for a minute, thinking. With a sigh, he turned back to Gandalf. 

"We will make camp here," he stated. 

Gandalf huffed and stormed out of the house. He started walking away from the Company. 

"Gandalf? Is everything okay? Gandalf, where are you going?" Bilbo asked. 

"To seek the company of the only one around here with any sense!" Gandalf snapped. 

"And who's that?" Lauranna's father asked. 

"Myself, Master Baggins! I've had enough Dwarves for one day," he answered, walking out of sight. 

"Fili, Kili, look after the ponies. Don't let them escape. Oin, Gloin, get a fire going. Bofur, get us some food," Thorin commanded. 

"Aye, right you are," Gloin said as he helped with the fire. 

A few hours later, Gandalf still hadn't come back. 

"He's been gone a very long time," Bilbo observed. 

"Who?" Bofur asked. 

"Gandalf."

"He's a Wizard. He does as he chooses. Do me a favor, give these to the lads," Bofur answered. 

Bofur handed Bilbo two bowls of soup to give to Fili and Kili. Before Bilbo could take them, however, Lauranna grabbed them and walked off. 

"I will take them," she said over her shoulder.

She entered the forest, heading to the area where the ponies were grazing. Kili and Fili were staring at them, seemingly worried. Lauranna came up and set the bowls on the log in front of them. She could tell something was wrong and frowned. She quickly counted the ponies and found that there were a few missing. Kili and Fili were watching her now, seeing her assess the risks and dangers. They could tell she was planning on finding the ponies herself. 

"Absolutely not," Fili stated. 

"Don't start with that. I can take care of myself. Go get the others. I will find the ponies. If I'm not back in five minutes, come after me with the others," she told him. 

Before the brothers could object, she took off through the underbrush. Her movements were silent, allowing her to slip into a Troll camp with ease. Across from her, she saw the ponies in an enclosure. She skirted the edges of the camp, reaching the pen. She took out her hidden dagger and started to cut the ropes. She heard movement near her and ducked into the trees. She was just in time as a hand reached out and grasped the air where she had been. She quickly hid behind a tree a few feet away, completely still. She knew any small noise or movement could get her killed. She heard trees being ripped up and tossed aside. She braced herself for a fight as the tree she was behind got pulled out of the ground. 

"Get her!" one of the Trolls commanded. 

Lauranna darted around the camp, trying to avoid the Trolls. She flung her dagger at the pen and cut the rope. The ponies bolted out and headed back to the Dwarf camp. This angered the Trolls even more and made them double their attempts at getting her. A hand finally grabbed her, making her scream in shock, and squeezed. Her screams of pain faded into nothing after a few seconds. Soon, she became light-headed due to lack of oxygen. Everything went black, and she drifted into unconsciousness.


	6. Hunted

The ponies burst into the Dwarf camp, earning relieved smiles from the beings there. They were watching the trees, waiting for Lauranna to come out. When she didn't, Kili picked up his sword. 

"Kili, where are you going?" Bilbo asked. 

"If she's not back yet, she must've gotten caught. I'm going after her," he answered. 

That was when they heard a scream. This spurred everyone into action, snatching weapons and racing through the trees. They arrived in time to see Lauranna go limp in the hand of one of three Trolls. The Trolls turned to the Dwarves, dropping Lauranna onto the ground to get them. A loud crack filled the air, coming from Lauranna. 

"You hurt my cousin!" Kili shouted in anger. 

He was the first one to move, darting forward and attacking the Trolls. The others were snapped out of their small trance and joined him. After about five minutes of hard fighting, Bilbo had been caught and was being held between two Trolls. 

"Lay down your arms, or we'll rip his off," the Troll not holding Bilbo threatened. 

Reluctantly, the Dwarves threw down their weapons, eyes going to Lauranna. She was laying on a log, out of the way. She stirred, her head turning to face the Dwarves. Her eyes, however, remained shut. A few of her bones were sticking out in odd directions and looked very painful. Her eyes suddenly shot open, looking around. She started to sit up but stopped with the horrible pain. She bit her lip to keep herself from screaming. She saw her friends and family in sacks or on the spit over the fire and groaned. 

"The girl's awake," one of the Trolls said. 

"Can we eat her first? As the appetizer?" another one asked. 

"Sure," the first one said. 

"No!" Thorin shouted. 

All activity in the camp stopped. All eyes turned to Thorin. He was panicking, terrified by even the thought of his daughter getting eaten by Trolls. He was looking between the Trolls and his daughter. 

"You want to take her place, Dwarf? You willing to die for her?" one of the Trolls asked. 

Before he could answer, he was cut off by another voice. 

"No, he isn't. He was merely surprised. If you feel like it, go ahead and eat me. Just make sure I don't feel any pain, please," Lauranna answered. 

Thorin was frantic by now, and his breathing sped up as he watched one of the Trolls grab her. She was dragged into the air, pain shooting up her body. As soon as she was positioned over the Troll's mouth, she took a hidden dagger and dropped it into his mouth, point down. It slammed into the back of his throat and caused blood to pour into his windpipe. He choked on his own blood, dropping the girl on the ground. This time, Lauranna couldn't hold back the scream of pain. The other two Trolls came at her, causing her to force herself to her feet. She stumbled back and managed to get a sword from a pile on the ground. She swung it around, and it connected to one of the Troll's faces. She stabbed his eyes out and killed him. The last Troll managed to grab her and threw her into a large rock. The sword clattered out of her hand, and she lay limply on the ground, motionless. 

"No!" Thorin cried out, his heart aching for his daughter. 

The Troll was about to stomp on her and crush her when Gandalf came out of practically nowhere. 

"The dawn will take you!" he shouted, splitting the rock and letting the sunlight stream into the camp. 

The remaining Troll turned to stone. Gandalf released Thorin first. The second he was free, he bolted over to his daughter, falling to his knees. 

"Lauranna. Lauranna, please. Wake up. You can't just leave like this. Stay here with me and the others. Please come back," he pleaded quietly. 

Gandalf pushed him aside and knelt next to the girl. Thorin was angry and tried to get back to her side but was restrained by most of the Company. Kili and Fili were being restrained as well. Bilbo knew better than to interrupt whatever the Wizard was doing. A few cracks could be heard, which signaled that her bones were being put back in their rightful place. A scream ripped from her lips even though she was unconscious. Thorin doubled his attempts to get to her. Tears were gathering in his eyes at seeing his daughter in pain like this. Gandalf backed up and stepped aside, allowing Thorin to run over. Kili and Fili were right behind him as they knelt down by her. All the others crowded around, worried. Bilbo was kneeling by her head, unsure as to what to do. 

"What happened to her?" Gandalf asked. 

"She went to free the ponies, telling us to come after her if she didn't come back after five minutes. When the ponies came back, we expected her to be there as well. When she didn't come back, we went after her. She was dropped on the ground, breaking a few of her bones. When she woke up, she tricked the Trolls into letting them eat her first as an appetizer. When she was over one of their mouths, she dropped a dagger in. He choked on his own blood. She continued fighting, taking down a second Troll before the third grabbed her and threw her into the rock," Ori said. 

"She broke at least five bones. She won't be able to walk on her own. She will be fine in a day or so. Someone will have to carry her, though," Gandalf told them. 

"I'll carry her," Thorin volunteered. "She's my daughter, therefore she is my responsibility. I will carry her."

Bilbo frowned but nodded. Thorin caught his expression and motioned for him to come over. 

"I hope you won't hurt her," Bilbo muttered. 

"I wouldn't dream of it. I know you looked after her for years, and she considers you her father. I understand that. I trust that you will know that, as her blood-relative, I will not let any harm come to her," Thorin replied. 

Bilbo nodded. Thorin gently lifted Lauranna's limp form off the ground and carried her after the Company. They had found the Troll hoard and were taking or hiding things. Gandalf had found two swords, one for him and the other for Thorin. Thorin allowed Gandalf to attach the sword to his belt, refusing to let Lauranna go for even a second. Outside, Thorin sat down, watching his daughter. 

"You'll be okay," he whispered.

He was mostly trying to reassure himself. Lauranna's eyes fluttered open, and she gazed up at Thorin. She was trying to understand what was going on and tried to sit up. Thorin quickly pulled her down again. 

"No, don't move. You can't walk for a day or two. Gandalf's orders," he explained. 

"Since when do you listen to that Wizard?" Lauranna asked. 

"Since you got hurt. I'm going to be carrying you for a while. And no arguing," he added. 

Lauranna nodded, knowing that Thorin wasn't going to change his mind. The others came out at that moment and saw that the girl was awake. They came over and asked her thousands of questions about if she was okay. 

"I'm fine. Or I will be," she answered. 

Kili came over and held out a new dagger to replace the one she had thrown down the Troll's throat. She smiled and took it. She slipped it into her belt before looking around her. 

"Something's coming!" Dwalin yelled. 

The trees and undergrowth was being pushed aside by something that was approaching fast. The Company made a protective circle around Thorin and Lauranna. What came out of the forest was something that no one had expected.


	7. The Chase is On

Out of the trees came a wild-looking man on a wooden sled. The things pulling the sled were the least expected creatures. Rabbits. Big rabbits, yes, but rabbits nonetheless. Gandalf seemed to know who this crazy man was, and they walked off from the group a bit to talk. 

"He seems a bit... odd," Lauranna muttered. 

"Odd is an understatement," Kili replied. "More like completely insane."

"Kili, be nice to the poor, old man," Lauranna scolded. 

After a few minutes, the two Wizards returned. At that moment, a howl ripped through the air. 

"Was that a wolf? Are there - are there wolves out there?" Bilbo asked. 

"A wolf? No, that was not a wolf," Bofur answered, looking around. 

A large wolf-looking creature stood on the top of the hill. The difference; it was a lot bigger and meaner. It started down the hill but was shot down by Lauranna. She was laying down, but she still managed to shoot it. Bofur finished it as another creature jumped down. This time, Kili shot it with Dwalin delivering the final blow. 

"Warg Scouts! Which means an Orc pack isn't far behind," Thorin said. 

"Orc pack?" Bilbo asked, terrified. 

"How did you tell of your quest beyond your kin?" Gandalf asked Thorin. 

"No one," he answered. 

"Who did you tell?!"

"No one, I swear! What in Durin's name is going on?"

"You are being hunted," Gandalf answered. 

"We have to get out of here," Dwalin said. 

"We can't. We have no ponies. They bolted," Ori called out. 

"I will draw them off," Radagast said. 

"These are Gundabad Wargs. They will outrun you," Gandalf informed him. 

"These are Rhosgobel rabbits. I'd like to see them try," the Brown Wizard replied with a smirk. 

Without waiting for a response, Radagast jumped on his sled and took off. Lauranna groaned, knowing that running was going to be involved. Thorin chuckled and held her in a way that would cause the least amount of pain possible. Gandalf motioned for the two to get to the front of the group. Thorin moved forward, careful not to hurt his daughter any more. 

"Stay near me and those two," Gandalf instructed, nodding his head at Fili and Kili. 

The two brothers heard this and moved to stand on either side of Thorin and Lauranna. Bofur stood behind them. The others made a protective circle around their leader and his daughter. Gandalf nodded approval and peered out around a rock. 

"I hate running," Lauranna grumbled. 

"But you're not going to be running," Fili pointed out. 

"I know that. But the moving is going to not feel good. You try being squeezed half to death, break at least five bones, kill two Trolls while injured, get thrown into a rock, and knocked unconscious and see how you feel. Any movement hurts. I'd like to see you have the strength to do what I did and not complain. I'm barely holding myself together right now," she told him. 

"Let's go," Gandalf said, preventing any more from being said. 

They ran across the open ground, looking around them for any threat. Lauranna had her eyes shut tight and face screwed up in pain. Thorin tried to make her more comfortable, but eventually, she took it out of his hands by forcing herself to stand and run. Her eyes held a strong determination in them that made anyone who tried to help her back off. She held her bow in her hand, loaded and ready to be fired. A few times they saw Radagast run in front of them with the Orc pack behind him. He seemed to be having the time of his life, laughing and taunting them. Then, one Orc and Warg jumped on top of the rock that they were hidden behind. Thorin looked at Kili, nodding to the bow. Before Kili could do anything, however, Lauranna had stepped out from behind the rock and shot both the Orc and Warg in the face. They fell down and landed a few feet from the girl. The Dwarves instantly attacked and killed the pair. They didn't die silently, and howls alerted the Company to the fact that they were now being followed. 

"This way!" Gandalf shouted, taking off to a more hilly section of the plains. 

No one questioned it and followed the Wizard. Lauranna had a good idea as to where they were going. Gandalf had mentioned the Hidden Valley before he had stormed off. He must be leading them there. He had said to continued on to the Valley. That must mean it is close by to their current location. 

"There they are!" Gloin yelled, pointing to a pair of riders on a hill not to far away. 

"Quickly!" Gandalf snapped at him. 

They were finally cornered at an out jutting rock. Lauranna happened to be on the outside of the protective circle, and she started to kill anything that came near her. 

"Where's Gandalf?" Dori asked. 

"He's abandoned us!" Dwalin growled. 

"This way, you fools!" Gandalf shouted, appearing behind the rock. 

One by one, the Dwarves and Bilbo made their way over to the rock. Lauranna was the farthest away and was injured. She pushed herself beyond her limits and managed to fall into the gap. She slid down the slope and ended up at Bilbo's feet. But the energy she had used to run across the plains and to get the rock had left her with nothing. The last thing she saw were fourteen worried faces staring at her. Then it all went black...


	8. Food Fights

Thorin watched as his daughter lay at the feet of the Hobbit. She looked up before her eyes shut, and her body went limp. Kili started to panic, thinking the worst. Oin walked forward and informed the others that she was merely unconscious. Kili breathed a sigh of relief as Fili rubbed his back in a comforting manner. 

"I told her not to move," Thorin muttered with a shake of his head. 

"She's stubborn. She doesn't give up easily. I know that from trying to help her when she was younger. She would never let me, insisting that the only way she would learn is if she did it herself," Bilbo told him, smiling fondly as he remembered her stubbornness when he tried to help her strap on her weapons. 

Thorin sighed and looked at her. He bent down to pick her up, but someone beat him to it. Looking up, Thorin's blue eyes connected with Kili's brown ones. Thorin backed up and let his youngest nephew hold his daughter carefully in his arms. 

"I cannot see where the pathway leads. Do we follow it or no?" Dwalin asked. 

"Follow it, of course!" Bofur exclaimed. 

"I think that would be wise," Gandalf murmured. 

Kili and Fili were at the back of the group with Thorin, Bilbo, and Gandalf. As they walked through the narrow crevice, their section of the Company didn't speak. The ones up ahead were chattering away, some grumbling about the passage being too small, others saying they were hungry, and some telling the others to shut up. 

"Is Lauranna going to be okay?" Bilbo asked quietly. 

"Of course she will," Gandalf said confidently. 

They reached a small rock ledge and saw a beautiful city stretched below them. The Dwarves stopped and looked at it. Thorin turned to Gandalf in anger. 

"This was your plan all along? To seek refuge with our enemies?" he spat. 

"You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield. The only ill will to be found here is that which you bring yourself," Gandalf snapped back. 

"Are we going to stand here bickering about Elves or get Lauranna help?" Kili interrupted rudely. 

Both Thorin and Gandalf turn to look at Kili, who was still holding the girl in his arms. Fili and Bilbo flanked him, waiting for Thorin's decision. The others were silent, watching the scene. Thorin took a deep breath and nodded. 

"Let's go. And Gandalf, if these Elves hurt her one bit, I will kill you," Thorin warned. 

"Understood," the Wizard said easily. "You will leave the talking to me."

They entered the city, the Dwarves wary, Bilbo in awe, and Gandalf with the ease of someone who visited every day. 

"Ah, Mithrandir," a male Elf said, descending the steps. 

"Lindir," Gandalf greeted. 

After a small exchange of words in Elvish, Lindir changed to the Common Tongue. 

"My Lord Elrond is not here," he said. 

"Not here? Where is he?" Gandalf queried. 

A hunting horn answered him instead of Lindir. Gandalf nodded in understanding and turned around to see a group of horses riding across the bridge. The Dwarves instantly made a protective circle around Bilbo, Kili, and Lauranna, who was still unconscious. The horses circled the Dwarves before the Elves dismounted. One of them remained behind, talking to Gandalf. 

"Something or someone has drawn them near," the new Elf said. 

"Ah, that may have been us," Gandalf told him, gesturing to the Dwarves. 

Before any more could be said, however, Kili pushed his way to the front. Elrond, the newcomer, spotted the girl in his arms and his eyes widened. 

"What happened?" Elrond asked, concern lacing his voice. 

"That is for her to tell. For now, is Arwen available?" Gandalf asked. 

"Yes. Lindir, kindly bring my daughter here. Quickly," Elrond said. 

Lindir bowed and raced up the stairs. Gandalf and Elrond talked in hushed tones. Gandalf seemed to be arguing with the Elf Lord with something. They only stopped when a dark-haired Elven woman came hurrying down the stairs. 

"Ada?" she asked. 

"Arwen, please see to it that this young woman gets taken care of," Elrond told her, gesturing to Lauranna. 

Arwen spotted the girl and gasped. She rushed over and gently took her from Kili's arms. She turned to Lindir and started ordering him to get a room ready and have some healers there by the time she got Lauranna there. He ran off as Arwen turned to the Company. 

"Not to worry. She's in good hands. I will bring her to you as soon as she is well enough to be on her feet," Arwen assured. 

"And she is staying here," Elrond added. 

"What?" Arwen asked, turning to her father. 

"She's not going any farther on this quest."

"It's her choice, Ada. Not yours. If she wants to go on this quest, she will go. You can't stop her. I won't let you. If you try to keep her here in Rivendell, I will get her out and let her go with them. They are her family and friends. You cannot take that away from her," Arwen snapped. 

She spun on her heel and walked off, taking Lauranna with her. All eyes were on her back as she left. The Company was surprised an Elf would stand up for her and them. They were grateful though. 

Elrond seemed shocked that his daughter would say that. He also knew Arwen would go through with what she said. She never broke her word. 

Gandalf was amused. He knew Arwen had a fiery temper, but this was the first time that it had been showcased in front of him. He was smiling slightly behind Elrond's back before making sure no trace of humor was found on his face. 

While the Company was accepted into the city and offered food and drink, Arwen reached the room she had requested to be empty. She laid the girl on the bed and let the healers do their work. She went to her own wardrobe to look for a suitable dress for Lauranna to wear. She made sure a bath was going to be waiting and ready when their newest female guest woke up. She reentered the room to find the girl awake and looking around. The healers were just finishing up and left as Arwen entered the room. 

"Who are you? Where am I? Where is the Company?" Lauranna started asking. 

"Relax. You're safe now. My name is Arwen. I am the daughter of Lord Elrond. You are in Rivendell. The Company is downstairs getting ready for dinner. Before you leave, you should have a bath and get dressed. I'll have new traveling clothes ready for your departure," Arwen assured her. 

Lauranna smiled and got into the bath while Arwen set out the dress and left. Lauranna sat in the bath for a minute before making a move to clean up. She finished in ten minutes, letting her hair dry naturally. She stepped out from behind the half-wall wrapped in a towel and spotted the dress. She gasped and walked over. She fingered the silk material. 

The dress reached to her ankles and was a dark blue color with silver vines crawling up from the bottom. The sleeves tapered off into points on the back of the hand and the start of the sleeves hung a little off the shoulders to reveal some skin. It wasn't too revealing, to Lauranna's relief. She put it on and let the dress fall to her ankles. She noticed a small table with jewelry. 

The door opened, and Arwen walked in. She smiled upon seeing Lauranna in the dress. 

"That's one of my old dresses from when I was a child," Arwen told her. "It looks good on you. Come here. I'll do your hair and make-up."

Lauranna moved over to the table and sat down to let Arwen do her thing. 

"This was yours?" Lauranna asked, fingering the dress. 

"Yes. My mother made it for me. I was young, for an Elf, when I got it. I thought it would look nice on you with your dark hair and blue eyes. Blue seems to be your color."

"I appreciate this a lot, Lady Arwen."

"Oh, no need for that now. I'm afraid I never got your name."

"Lauranna. I'm the daughter of Thorin Oakenshield."

"So you're a princess, too?"

"Yes. I don't feel like it though. I grew up in the Shire. Apparently, I have a special power. Gandalf's going to help me, though."

Arwen hummed to let Lauranna know she was listening as she applied the mascara. That was the last thing other than lipstick. Arwen picked it up and told the girl to not talk. Lauranna did as told, letting Arwen apply the lipstick. 

"Finished!" Arwen exclaimed, picking up a mirror. 

Lauranna glanced at herself and nearly dropped the mirror in shock. She was completely different. Arwen could see she was shocked but liked the change. She took the mirror and pulled her to her feet. 

"I promised your friends that I would take you to them," she explained as she pulled the girl to the door. "I'll take you to them."

Lauranna followed the excited Elf to the pavilion where the Dwarves were waiting for their female companion. Arwen seemed to want to talk. 

"So, what happened to you?" she asked. 

"Well, I was going to set some of our ponies free from three Trolls because my two cousins, Kili and Fili, weren't paying attention. I told them to wait for five minutes and, if I wasn't back by then, they would come after me. I set the ponies loose but got captured. At least five of my bones were broken, according to Gandalf. Then we had to run away from an Orc pack. I refused to be carried so I ran on my own. We ended up near the beginning of the passageway here, and I happened to be on the outside of the protective circle. I went past my limits to get to the entrance and passed out. Then, I wake up here," Lauranna summarized. 

"Sounds exciting and dangerous at once," Arwen mused. 

Laughing, the two females reached the top of the stairs and entered the pavilion. All noise stopped, Elves, Dwarves, Wizard, and Hobbit looking at the two females that had just entered. The two stopped laughing and looked around them. Lauranna smiled shyly and waved. 

"Everyone, this is Lauranna Durin. She will be our guest, and do not stare at her. It is very rude," Arwen scolded. 

Everyone instantly looked away. Lauranna giggled. 

"Girls, come here please," Elrond said. 

Arwen and Lauranna made their way over to him, standing and waiting. Elrond looked the two over for a quick second before speaking. 

"She can go on this quest, but she must understand that it is--" Elrond began. 

"Dangerous, dark, most likely going to result in death?" Lauranna suggested, cutting him off. "I know the risks, sir."

"Are you sure?" Elrond asked. 

"I knew the second I met the Company, what I was getting myself into. I am well aware of the risks and dangers. But happiness can be found even in the darkest of times when one only remembers to turn on the light," Lauranna told him. 

"Wise," Elrond muttered. "Arwen, seems you made a new friend pretty quickly."

"Indeed, Ada. I allowed her to wear the dress Mother made me. I helped her a lot," Arwen said. 

"I am grateful to Arwen, sir. She has been a great help in my outfit and calming me down when I woke up in a very unfamiliar but pretty place," Lauranna threw in. 

Elrond nodded in approval. He nodded to a small table for two, meant for Arwen and Lauranna to talk girl things if they wanted. They walked over and sat down, chatting away and laughing. 

"That's not an Elf maid," Dwalin told Kili. 

Arwen and Lauranna looked over to see Kili staring at a male Elf. The whole Company burst out laughing. Even Lauranna and Arwen joined in. This made Kili even more embarrassed. 

"That's funny," he mumbled, staring at his plate. 

When the Dwarves started to throw food and sing, Lauranna looked at Arwen. They locked eyes and smirked. Picking up an apple each, they threw them at Bofur, knocking him off the table on which he stood. The two girls burst out laughing, and a full blown food fight broke out. There were two sides. 

Lauranna and Arwen had Kili, Fili, Bofur, Ori, Dori, and Dwalin. The rest of the Company were on the other side of the room. Elrond and Thorin stared at their daughters in shock. Then, Elladan and Elohir, Arwen's brothers, entered and joined in. Elladan joined the girls' team, and Elohir took the other team. 

"Stop!" Thorin and Elrond shouted at the same time, jumping to their feet. 

All eyes turned to them. They seemed to be livid. Arwen shared a glance with her brothers while Lauranna looked at her cousins. They suddenly hit the two leaders with food, and the fight continued, now involving Thorin and Elrond. This made them even angrier, and they stormed out of the room. Gandalf was in the corner, laughing. Soon, everyone stopped and went to get cleaned up. 

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry about your dress!" Lauranna apologized. 

"That's perfectly fine, Anna," Arwen laughed. "It wasn't going to fit me anyway."

They went back to Lauranna's room and cleaned up. Arwen had been good on her promise of traveling clothes. There were three identical pairs of clothes waiting for her on her bed along with a brown leather bag and other traveling items. 

"Thank you so much, Arwen," Lauranna said. 

"It's nothing. You are my guest and friend. I will help you. I got you a few new weapons as well. I saw yours seemed to be beaten down by time."

A new bow rested against the wall with a quiver of arrows beside it. Double daggers were polished and rested on the floor. A gleaming sword was next to them as they glinted in the sunlight. Lauranna gasped and hurried over to them. Picking them up gently, she looked them over with a smile. 

"Thank you," she breathed, turning to the Elf princess. 

"It's not a problem. They will serve you well. It takes a lot to wear down an Elvish weapon," Arwen said with a smile. 

Lauranna ran over and hugged the Elf, surprising her. Arwen got over it and hugged the girl back. Maybe Elves were nicer than Thorin thought. After all, Arwen had had her healed, gotten her new clothes, and new weapons. It was a nice change from being on the road. After Arwen left, Lauranna went to change into sleepwear as it was getting late. Going to bed early, she fell asleep to the sound of the Dwarves' laughter.


	9. A Dangerous Mountain Path

The next morning, Lauranna woke up to a knock on her door. 

"Who is it?" she asked. 

"Bilbo Baggins," a voice replied. 

"Come on in," she said. 

The door opened and revealed the Hobbit. He smiled at her as he shut the door. It was early in the morning, making Lauranna yawn and stretch, not happy about being woken up before the sun was even close to appearing. 

"Thorin said we need to leave now," Bilbo informed her. 

Lauranna groaned. Of course Thorin would order everyone to get up early. She sighed and stood up, moving to her bag. She grabbed a pair of clothes and stepped behind the screen to change. 

"Where did you get these new weapons?" Bilbo asked, examining the weapons she had been given. 

"Lady Arwen gave them to me as well as everything else I now have," Lauranna replied. 

She came out from behind the screen, changed into traveling clothes. She packed up everything and shouldered the pack over her quiver and double daggers. She put her sword on her hip, bow on her back. She picked up her cloak and swung it over her shoulder. 

"Ready?" she asked. 

Bilbo nodded and led the way out of the room. He took her down to the courtyard, where the rest of the Company, minus Gandalf, were waiting. Thorin eyed the Elvish weapons with distaste. Lauranna saw his glare and sighed. 

"No, Thorin. I'm not getting rid of the weapons the kind Lady Arwen gave to me. Yes, they were made by Elves. You got a problem, you have to deal with it," she said stubbornly. 

Bilbo chuckled at her words and shook his head in amusement. Lauranna looked at him. 

"What?" she asked. 

"I find it amusing that you are so stubborn. That's all," he answered. 

"That's my defining trait; stubbornness," Lauranna defended. 

Bilbo merely smiled and turned to the others. Thorin turned and led the way out of the valley. Soon, they were out of the city, overlooking it. 

"Be on guard. We are about to step over the edge of the Wild. Balin, you know these paths. Lead on," Thorin said. 

Bilbo had stopped and looked back at the city. Lauranna grabbed his arm and pulled him along. 

"We'll see it again one day," she assured him. 

Bilbo sighed and nodded, following his daughter. Over hills and under trees, around lakes and through swamps they went. They were nearing the Misty Mountains as they loomed in the distance. Lauranna shivered. 

"Are you cold?" Kili asked, making to remove his cloak for her. 

"No. I just get a bad feeling about this mountain path," she said. 

Kili looked at her in surprise. He didn't see anything wrong with this path. Maybe he was not paying attention. It wouldn't surprise him as he didn't pay attention to a lot of things. It was his and his brother's fault that she had gotten hurt by Trolls after all. He shrugged and followed her. 

Lauranna shivered again as they stepped onto the path. It was a narrow one, a rock wall to their left and a drop-off to their right. One small misstep could have one of the Company falling to their death. She felt something wrap around her and found it was Kili's cloak. He had given it to her when he saw her shiver. She rolled her eyes. 

'He's taking on the role of big brother now,' she thought. 

Fili smiled at his brother, knowing it was something he would do for him. Kili was the one who was the closest, emotionally, to Lauranna. 

As they walked, a storm started to whip up around them. Lauranna started to shiver violently. Fili noticed and passed his cloak to her. When she wouldn't take it, Kili wrapped it around her shoulders. Thorin looked back and saw his daughter shivering terribly. She took a step forward, and the rock crumbled. A scream left her lips as she started to fall towards the abyss down below. Kili and Fili instantly grabbed her arms and pulled her back. 

"We must find shelter!" Thorin yelled. 

"Really? I had no idea!" Lauranna shouted back. 

Kili smirked. Even after almost falling to her death she could make a joke. He loved her sarcastic nature. He would do everything in his power to protect her. 

"Look out!" Dwalin yelled, pointing to a rock flying through the air. 

As it slammed into the rocks above them, Kili and Fili shoved Lauranna into the wall, shielding her with their bodies. 

"This is no thunderstorm! It's a thunder battle!" Balin shouted. "Look!"

A massive figure was moving in the distance. Bofur gasped and looked at it in awe and fear. 

"Well, bless me! The legends are true! Giants! Stone Giants!" he yelled. 

"Take cover, you fool!" Thorin ordered as another rock went flying. 

The rock hit another Stone Giant that had come from where they had come from. As the Company watched, they felt the rock beneath them start to move. A crack appeared under Lauranna, separating them in half. Before Lauranna could pick a side, it was taken out of her hands as she fell. On instinct, her hands reached out and grabbed the rock. She could do nothing but watch the fight with her head turned. Half of the Company made it safely to the other side of the large gap while the other half had to wait. They were slammed into the rock wall, however, when the head of their Giant was knocked off. 

"No!" Thorin yelled, thinking he had lost half his companions. 

They disappeared from Lauranna's view, leaving her alone. She heard shouts that she took the meaning of which that the others were okay. She tried to think of a way how she could get to them. 

"Anna!" Kili's voice screamed. 

She twisted her head to look at him, seeing the fear in them. Fili, Thorin, and Bilbo were right behind him, watching the girl. This gave her determination, and she started to move. 

She grabbed a ledge in her hand, testing it before putting her weight on it. Slowly but surely, she made her way to the others, moving up and over. Kili's hand was outstretched, but she didn't take it, even when she was close enough. Her hand slipped just as she was about to set foot on somewhat solid ground. She dropped about ten feet before catching herself. She was not going to let anything get in her way. 

"Move!" she yelled at Kili. 

Thinking there was something dangerous above his head, Kili jumped back and knocked into Fili. Like a row of dominos, the Company hit the rocky ground. Smirking, Lauranna scaled the mountainside so fast she nearly couldn't be seen. She landed on the rocks and helped Kili up. He hugged her so tightly that she thought she was going to have the air squeezed from her. 

Cheers went up through the Company, glad they didn't lose their only female companion. And their princess, for that matter. As they continued cheering, Lauranna realized Bilbo was missing. 

"Where is Father?" she screamed. 

All eyes looked around until Bofur spotted him hanging onto the edge of the rock, having fallen off when the Company fell to the ground. As Lauranna made her way over, Kili grabbed her and held her back, not wanting her to fall. Thorin jumped down and hoisted Bilbo up onto solid ground. As he made a move to get up, he slipped. Dwalin grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the rocks. 

"I thought we lost our burglar," Dwalin mumbled. 

"He's been lost ever since he left home. He should never have come," Thorin grumbled. 

At this, Lauranna walked right up to him and hit him hard in the face. Everyone gasped. Before Thorin could yell at her or react in any way, Lauranna had grabbed Bilbo by the hand and pulled him into a cave, head held high. Thorin stared after his daughter, shocked. Then again, he had, in a way, insulted the only father she had known. He figured he deserved it. 

"Let's go," he said. 

They walked into the cave, finding Lauranna asking Bilbo thousands of questions if he was okay. 

"I'm fine, sweetheart. You would know when I'm not," he said finally. 

Lauranna frowned but shut up. She turned to Thorin and glared at him so coldly that her gaze could turn water into ice. He shivered under her gaze. Lauranna realized she still had Kili and Fili's cloaks on and handed them back to their owners. She didn't say a word as she got ready for bed. She was in the very back of the cave, back to the others. As her anger burned away, she grew tired and fell asleep. It had been one bad day.


	10. Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire

She woke up to Bilbo packing up. She sat up and looked at him. 

"What do you think you're doing?" she whispered. 

"I'm going back to Rivendell," he answered. 

Lauranna packed up in a few seconds, ready to go. She nodded at him as he started to pick his way through the Dwarves. As they reached the entrance to the cave, they forgot about Bofur, who had first watch. 

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked. 

"Back to Rivendell," Lauranna answered. "I'm not letting my father go alone."

"You can't turn back now. You're part of the Company," Bofur said. 

"I'm not, though. Am I? Thorin said I should never have come, and he was right. I'm not a Took, I'm a Baggins. I don't know what I was thinking. Lauranna belongs more than I do. I should never have run out my door," Bilbo said. 

"You're homesick. I understand," Bofur assured. 

"No you don't. You don't know what it feels like. You're Dwarves! You're used to this life! To living on the road, not belonging anywhere!" Bilbo hissed. 

For some reason, Lauranna was stung by his words. She knew she was a Dwarf, but she shouldn't be affected by his words. She had a home and a caring father. However, she didn't like that he had practically insulted her kin. 

"I'm sorry. I--" Bilbo started to apologize. 

"No, you're right," Bofur said, turning to look at his kin. "We don't belong anywhere. Lauranna, I will tell your fath-- I mean, I will tell Thorin why you left. Just remember you are a Durin by heart. A princess. Our princess."

"Thank you, Bofur," Lauranna muttered, hugging the Dwarf. "And Bilbo was just joking. I'm just as much as an outsider here as he is. In my opinion, at least."

"Fili and Kili don't seem to think so. They treat you as if you were their sister and have known you their whole lives. Why else would they give you their cloaks? I could tell they were freezing in that weather, but they gave up their only means of warmth for you. They love you like a sister. We all do. Thorin may try to hide it, but he cares about you both. He thinks that, because he's the leader, he has to be strong and showing emotion means being weak," Bofur explained. 

Little did they know, Thorin, Fili, and Kili were awake, listening to the conversation. Fili and Kili shared a sad look, tears in their eyes. They looked at Thorin, who was watching them silently. 

"I wish you all the luck in the world. I really do," Bofur said. 

"Thanks," Lauranna said. 

"What's that?" Bofur asked, a blue glow catching his eye. 

Bilbo half drew his sword, seeing the glow. Lauranna instantly knew what that was and gasped. 

"Wake up!" she shouted. 

Everyone jerked upright just as the floor collapsed beneath them, and they fell into a stone slide. Lauranna didn't utter a sound as she fell, letting herself go limp to avoid breaking any bones. They all landed in a pile, groaning. As they looked around, they saw Goblins swarming towards them. Kili and Fili were on either side of Lauranna, like bodyguards. They grasped her hands in theirs tightly so they weren't separated. The Dwarves were pulled farther into the tunnels, Lauranna not putting up a struggle, knowing it was pointless. They were taken before a large Goblin, obviously the leader. As they approached, the Goblin started to sing. 

"Down, down, down in Goblin Town!" he sang a verse. 

"Down, down, down in Goblin Town!" the rest chorused. 

On impulse, since she liked to sing, Lauranna joined in on it. This caused all eyes to turn to her. The song stopped, and she froze, trying to make herself disappear. However, Goblins grabbed her and pulled her before the Great Goblin. 

"Well, what do we have here?" he asked. 

"A girl," Lauranna answered. 

"Clearly," the Great Goblin muttered. "What's your name?"

"What's it to you?"

"Answer me!"

"I am Lauranna Baggins."

"Where are you from?"

"The Shire."

"What are you doing here?"

"We were taking refuge in a cave when the floor so generously decided to drop us on your porch."

"Where are you going?"

"We were going to visit distant relations in the Iron Hills."

"Are you lying?"

"Do I have a reason to lie?"

This shut the Great Goblin up. He saw no reason for her to lie. He was about to speak when a ton of weapons were dropped in front of the group of Dwarves. 

"Why do you carry weapons?" he asked. 

"We find it necessary to defend ourselves against the Orcs that roam the Wilderness," Lauranna answered calmly. 

The Great Goblin frowned, thinking it all through. The girl seemed to be telling the truth. However, he got the feeling that something about this girl was off. He decided to test if this girl was was strong or weak. He reached forward and grabbed her by the arm, lifting her into the air. She made no move to get free. 

"Do you consider yourself strong or weak?" the Great Goblin asked. 

"Would I be out in the Wild if I thought myself weak?" Lauranna asked him back. 

"You do have the strength of these other Dwarves."

"That is true. However, it doesn't mean that I need them to protect me. I have taken down two Trolls on my own while injured. At least five broken bones, most likely a concussion, and a very bad case of blurry vision, yet I took down two full grown Trolls and managed to run away from an Orc pack of about twenty riders. And I didn't complain once."

This stopped the Goblin King. He frowned and set her down. 

"Let's see then. Grab a sword," he instructed. 

Lauranna picked up her sword and waited for the first wave. Ten Goblins came at her, making her swing her sword with expert precision. Within a minute, all ten were dead. More came, making her kill them all. The Great Goblin was shocked and stopped the competition. 

"You are a strong girl. How about this? You can spare the lives of your friends and be my slave. Or you can refuse that offer, and they will all perish, starting with the youngest," he said. 

Lauranna frowned. She thought about the options and decided to trick him. She would take the offer and as the Dwarves were let go with their weapons, she would join. 

"I will take that offer. However, you must give them back their weapons and show them the way out," Lauranna bargained. 

"You have a deal," the Great Goblin said. 

The Dwarves were handed their weapons and were about to be led away when Lauranna sprang into action. She cut down the two Goblins holding her, killing them instantly. 

"Run!" she yelled. 

The Dwarves didn't hesitate as Gandalf came into view. They all followed the man through the tunnels, the Goblins taking a few seconds to regain their senses, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Lauranna ran with Gandalf, leading the group. The Dwarves were still in shock of her actions and words. She had managed to lie her way through the conversation. Not to mention, got their weapons back to their rightful owner. She was stronger than they thought at first. 

"This way!" Gandalf shouted. 

No one hesitated as they followed him through the tunnels. After a long time of fighting, they were racing across a bridge that broke just ahead of them. The Great Goblin came up and stopped in front of them. 

"You thought you could escape me? Grab the girl. She will be my slave," he said. 

Before anyone could move, Lauranna stepped forward and sliced the Great Goblin across the throat. His dead weight fell on the bridge and caused it to crumble. With shouts, the Company fell into the abyss. The only one who didn't utter a word was Lauranna. The bridge caught the edges of the rocks and slowed down. She was crushed under two heavy wooden planks. 

"Well, that could've been worse," Bofur said, looking on the bright side. 

However, seconds after he spoke, the dead weight of the Great Goblin slammed onto the destroyed bridge, crushing everyone further. 

"You've got to be joking!" Dwalin shouted. 

Lauranna had bitten her lip to keep from crying out. She was sure her legs were broken in a few places, not to mention speared by wood. The others were quickly pulled out of the wood disaster and got to their feet. Lauranna struggled to lift the wood off of her. Thorin, Fili, and Kili helped her up, gasping when they saw the wooden pieces in her skin. 

"Only one thing will save us now; daylight," Gandalf muttered, seeing the Goblins come streaming down. "Run!"

Lauranna shoved Kili away from her and forced herself to run as fast as she could. She managed to keep up with Gandalf, at the head of the line. When he stopped to get the Dwarves out of the tunnels, she stopped as well. Regaining her breath, she looked behind her, seeing a dark tunnel leading into the deep. 

Bilbo looked up as he heard running footsteps. Gollum, who had been in the way, now crouched behind a rock, out of sight. He saw Gandalf and his daughter stop, letting the Dwarves go outside. He gasped when he saw the state his daughter was in. She turned and looked right at him, but she didn't see him. He knew he was invisible to her and everyone else. He took a deep breath and ran. Jumping over Gollum, he landed next to his daughter, waiting to leave with them all. 

"Let's go," Gandalf said to Lauranna. 

The girl merely nodded, turning and following the Wizard outside into daylight. Bilbo went with them, staying back. He kept them in sight, however. 

"Where's our Hobbit?" Gandalf asked, realizing he was gone. 

"I'll tell you what happened. Master Baggins saw his chance, and he took it. He has thought of nothing but his armchair since he stepped foot out his door. We will not be seeing our Hobbit again. He is long gone," Thorin snapped. 

"You idiot! I was standing right next to Bilbo when the floor dropped. He was with us when the Goblins came. He must still be in there. If you won't help, I will go after him myself!" Lauranna yelled. 

She stormed forward and slapped Thorin across the face before sitting down and pulling the pieces of wood from her skin, glaring at Thorin every now and then. 

"No, he isn't," Bilbo said, coming into view. 

"Told you," Lauranna muttered as she cast aside another wood piece. "I'm not an idiot. My dad would never leave me behind."

"I am your father," Thorin muttered. 

"Be that as it may, you are not my dad. Father and dad are two separate words in my mind. A father is someone who helps give life to a being. A dad is always there for their child, adopted or not," Lauranna snapped. 

She grabbed another piece of wood and started to pull it out. However, the wood got caught on something in her leg, making her growl lowly. 

"You know, you are going to damage yourself more," Oin told her. 

"Shut up," she hissed as she ripped the piece out of her leg. 

She got the rest out of her skin and stood up, forcing herself to balance. She was about to speak when a howl cut her off. She hadn't noticed the conversation and speech between Bilbo and Thorin as she got rid of the wood. She turned to Gandalf upon hearing the howl. 

"Out of the frying pan..." Thorin started. 

"And into the fire. Run. Run!" Gandalf finished. 

No one hesitated to do as told, running as fast as they could. Lauranna gritted her teeth and pushed past the pain. Fili and Kili were on either side of her, protecting her. Wargs came and started attacking them. Before Kili could shoot the Warg in front of them, Lauranna's own bow was already nocked and fired. The arrow slammed into the skull of the creature all the way up to the fletching. She took no concern and ran off. 

"Up into the trees! Quickly! Climb!" Gandalf shouted. 

Lauranna launched herself into Thorin's tree, Fili and Kili right behind her. Thorin grabbed her arm to steady her, only for her to push him away. The Wargs under the trees turned to look at someone coming up behind them. 

"Azog?" Thorin gasped, looking at his enemy. 

"Great. This day is going perfectly. Apparently, Thorin doesn't know how to properly kill someone," Lauranna muttered.


	11. Azog the Defiler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Orcish is underlined)

Thorin glared at his daughter, who ignored him. She was staring intently at the Pale Orc. He caught sight of her and smirked. 

"Leave the girl and him to me," he said, pointing to Lauranna and Thorin. "Kill the others!"

The Wargs jumped on the trees, trying to bite the Company. Lauranna growled at the ones that came too close to her for her comfort. Jaws snapping and claws scraping, the Wargs failed to kill the Company. However, their weight made the trees fall over like dominos. The Company jumped from tree to tree until the last tree standing was on the very edge of the cliff. At the very top, Gandalf stood. 

He grabbed a pinecone and lit it on fire. He threw it at the Wargs, starting a wildfire around the tree. He dropped more flaming cones to the Company below him, who starting to throw them. Lauranna had excellent aim and hit Azog in the face. This made him roar in anger, making her laugh at him. 

Their victory didn't last long as the tree started to tip over the edge, the roots clinging onto the cliff to hold on. Soon, the tree was horizontal over the abyss below. Ori and Dori slipped and fell, being grabbed by Gandalf's staff. Thorin looked up to see Azog smirking at them. 

"Thorin, don't you dare. You can't take on Azog," Lauranna tried to reason. 

However, she was merely ignored as the stubborn Dwarf stood and walked off the tree. With a sigh, Lauranna stood up and ran after him, pushing him aside. Azog and his Warg hit the girl, knocking her to the ground. She merely got up and turned to face the Pale Orc. 

"You can't win against me, girl," he growled. 

"Maybe not. But I can try," Lauranna snapped back. 

He charged the girl, who ducked under the blow and cut the Warg in the side. It howled in pain and jumped to the side. Azog turned and slashed at the girl. His blade caught her shoulder, the pain shooting up and down her arm and body. She merely gritted her teeth and fought harder. She managed to dislodge the Pale Orc from his mount. Now fighting on foot, the two went at it as hard as they could. Lauranna wasn't relenting in any way, angering the Orc. 

"You think you can defeat me?" Azog snarled. 

"I might be able to. You can't seem to kill me now. If you can't kill me while I'm injured, imagine what will happen when I'm at full health and strength," Lauranna shot back, taunting the Orc. 

It worked. Azog charged the girl, intending to take her head off. However, she step-sided the blow. Not fast enough, though. The blade's tip left a long cut from her forehead above the left eye and all the way down to the jawline, a jagged cut that spewed blood. Lauranna gasped at the pain that exploded her face, but she pushed it aside as she fought. 

Thorin had done nothing but watch as his daughter went up against the Pale Orc. He was surprised and impressed when she held her own. When she got a nasty cut on her face, however, he jumped in and fought back. When he did, Azog's attention turned to him as the white Warg came over. The teeth sunk into Thorin's side, making him cry out. 

"Idiot," he heard Lauranna mutter. 

He had no clue how Lauranna could bare the pain of anything she now possessed. All her wounds were bleeding, most likely making her weaker by the millisecond. Yet she still fought. He smashed the hilt of his sword into the Warg's snout, making it toss him aside like a rag doll. Battle cries were heard as some members of the Company came running into the fight. 

Two minutes later, everyone's attention was distracted by the screeching of eagles. The giant birds swooped in, killing Wargs and Orcs alike. The Company was swept away on the backs or claws of the birds. Thorin and Lauranna were picked up and flown away. The rest of the Company followed not far behind. The last thing Lauranna remembered was seeing the landscape pass by below her.


	12. Lauranna's Power

The Company flew through the night and into the next day. Lauranna and Thorin still hadn't moved since falling unconscious. The whole Company was worried for both, mainly Lauranna. When they landed on a rock in the shape of a bear, Thorin was the first to be set down, Lauranna right after. Gandalf ran over and woke Thorin up as the rest of the Company landed. 

"Lauranna?" Thorin asked quietly. 

No one answered. He turned his head to see his daughter and gasped. 

Blood was already creating a large pool around her as her wounds came into clear sight. Deep gashes in her legs from the bridge and wounds from Azog. Gandalf sighed and knelt next to her. 

"There's nothing I can do. This is beyond my skill. If anyone can heal her, it's herself. Remember she has a power no one else has. It might kick in now," he said. 

As soon as he stopped talking, water crept up the rock and over to the girl. The blood was washed back into the wounds, which closed up. Her clothes remained destroyed, but she was healed. Her eyes flew open, and she gasped. 

"Where am I? What happened? Is Thorin okay?" she instantly started asking. 

"Relax, sweetheart," Thorin whispered, kneeling next to her. 

"You are an idiot! You could've gotten yourself killed! If you think that ycharge an Orc pack on your own and not get hurt, you have lost your mind!" Lauranna yelled at him. 

She stood up, shaking slightly. She stumbled as she moved forward towards Thorin. The leader grabbed her and held her steady, tears gathering in his eyes upon seeing the scars on her body. His finger trailed over the mark on her face, making her glare at him. 

"I'm so sorry, Lauranna," Thorin said quietly. 

She glanced at him and saw his concern. She sighed and let the tears in her own eyes fall. Tears of pain rolled down her face as she let her head fall to look at the rocks under her feet. Thorin pulled her close to him and let her cry on his shoulder. She made no sound, just tears. Fili and Kili joined the hug, holding her tightly. Bilbo smiled sadly, letting the three Dwarves hug his daughter. Lauranna pulled away and grabbed Bilbo into a hug. 

"It's okay. It'll be okay," Bilbo whispered, gently rubbing her back in a soothing manner. 

"I know. It's just a bit traumatizing. That's all," she mumbled. 

Gandalf smiled at the group. He looked around and stopped upon seeing a familiar mountain in the distance. 

"Look," he said. 

Eyes turned to the mountain, Thorin smiling at it. 

"Is that what I think it is?" Bilbo asked. 

"Erebor. The last Dwarf Kingdom of Middle-Earth," Gandalf said. 

A bird flew past, chirping happily. 

"A raven. The birds of Erebor are returning to the mountain," Gloin stated. 

"That, my dear Gloin, is a thrush," Gandalf corrected. 

"Well, we'll take it as a sign. A good omen," Thorin said. 

"You're right. I do believe the worst is behind us," Bilbo muttered. 

Lauranna snorted. 

"Of course the worst is behind us. We only have a dragon to face and any other obstacle between us and the mountain," she said. 

Bilbo rolled his eyes. Of course Lauranna had to ruin the optimistic attitude. 

"Lauranna, do you think you could create a safe place for us to stay for the night?" Gandalf asked. "Once we get off this rock, of course."

"I can try. I have no clue how to use this power, but I can do my best," Lauranna answered. 

"That's all I ask," Gandalf told her with a smile. 

As they made their way down the rock, Lauranna looked for a good place to make camp. She set her sights on a rocky alcove and pointed it out to the others. 

"I can try and fortify it," she said. 

They all agreed that it was better than nothing and headed over to it. Lauranna looked around and frowned. 

"All of you be quiet so I can concentrate. If I can't do anything, don't laugh. I have zero clue what I'm doing," she said. 

All noise died down, and Lauranna closed her eyes. As the minutes passed, the stone created a dome around the Company, enclosing them. A small hole in the top allowed the fire smoke to leave. Fresh green grass covered the floor while flowering vines crawled around the walls. On the outside, the dome looked like a hill. The dome was about fifty feet in diameter. 

Outside the dome, five feet from the edge, dense trees surrounded it fifty feet all around. Five feet outside of the trees was a ten-foot thick stone wall reaching twenty feet high was set out. Outside of that was a ten-foot deep and fifteen-foot wide river wound its way around. All in all, it looked like a fortress.

"Wow," Kili muttered, only able to see the inside of the dome and nothing else. 

Lauranna opened her eyes and looked at her work. With an exhausted sigh, she collapsed onto the grass. Gandalf shook his head. 

"You went too far with that, Anna," he said. 

"I know. I didn't know it would drain me that much," she muttered. 

Seconds later, she fell asleep. The others copied her and closed their eyes. Due to the protection that Lauranna had made, there was no need for watches that night. They all slept peacefully for the first time on the road.


	13. Beorn

Lauranna was still exhausted from her creating last night, but she hid that as best as she could. She created an exit for the Company as they left the next morning. Kili caught her as she fell unconscious from all of her magic use. 

"She will be fine. She just needs to rest. I should've warned her before. I didn't think she'd make all this stuff to protect us," Gandalf muttered. 

"I'll carry her," Kili offered. 

"You can't carry her the whole time," Fili pointed out. 

"I know," Kili said. 

For about ten hours, Lauranna was unconscious. Passed from one Dwarf to another to give everyone a break. When the girl was being carried by another other than Fili, Kili, and Thorin, the said three Dwarves kept a close eye on her. Finally, she stirred. 

"Put. Me. Down. Now," she demanded. 

Dwalin, who was currently carrying her, set her on her feet. She stumbled slightly and looked around. They were in a small clearing, surrounded by rocks on three sides, trees on the other. Bilbo was nowhere to be seen, making Lauranna nervous. 

"Where is Father?" she asked. 

"Bilbo went to scout ahead," Thorin answered. 

"Are you kidding? You do realize the dangers, right?" Lauranna asked. 

"I am aware. But he is a Hobbit. He can pass unseen by most," Gandalf interrupted. 

"I'm surrounded by idiots," Lauranna muttered. 

"Hey!" Kili said, offended. 

She glared at him. When Bilbo returned, Lauranna hugged him. 

"Glad to see you awake," he said. 

"How close is the pack?" Thorin asked before Lauranna could say anything. 

"Too close. Couple of leagues. No more. But that's not the worst of it," Bilbo said. 

"Have the Wargs picked up our scent?" Dwalin wondered. 

"Not yet, but they will. We have another problem," Bilbo told him. 

"They saw you? You were seen?" Gandalf asked. 

"No."

"What did I say? Quiet as a mouse. Excellent burglar material," Gandalf praised. 

As the Dwarves started agreeing, Lauranna saw that Bilbo was trying to say something. 

"Shut up, you fools!" she hissed. 

"There is something else out there," Bilbo said. 

"What form did it take? Like a bear?" Gandalf asked. 

"Ye-- Yes. But bigger, much bigger," Bilbo said. 

"You knew about this beast?" Bofur asked as Gandalf turned away. "I say we double back."

"And get run down by a pack of Orcs?" Thorin argued. 

"There is a house. It's not far from here where we might take refuge," Gandalf interrupted. 

"Whose house? Are they friend or foe?" Thorin wondered. 

"Neither. He will help us or he will kill us," Gandalf replied. 

"Great. When are we not going to be hunted and looking over our shoulders. I actually blame Thorin for this. If he had killed Azog, maybe we wouldn't be in this situation," Lauranna grumbled. 

"What choice do we have?' Thorin asked. 

A monstrous roar sounded somewhere very close by, making everyone jump. 

"None," Gandalf said. 

Racing across fields, through rivers and forests, they came into sight of a large house surrounded by impenetrable thorn hedges. 

"Get to the house!" Gandalf yelled. 

Amusingly enough, Bombur was the fastest of the group. Lauranna giggled at seeing him running faster than everyone else, seeing as he was the fattest of them all. He slammed into the front door, which was locked. Lauranna tried to reach the lock but was held back by the large group of Dwarves. Thorin saw it and tried to reach it but failed. 

"Move!" Lauranna shouted. 

A path was cleared for her as she darted forward and unlocked the door. They all piled into the house as a large black bear reached it. They managed to close the door, not realizing that one of their number was gone. 

"Where's Anna?" Bilbo asked, looking around frantically. 

"Is she outside?" Kili whispered. 

"Must be," Fili answered. 

Outside, Lauranna was hiding behind a large pole, watching the bear in fear and curiosity. The bear's head turned to the girl, freezing her in place. 

"Please, don't hurt me. I mean you no harm. I didn't make it inside in time. I'm sorry for intruding on your home, but we are in need of a place to stay. We have had a bad time in the Goblin tunnels and an encounter with Azog the Defiler. As you can probably see, I have many fresh scars from the fight. I have been the most injured on this journey. I'm not sure how much more I can take. Please, don't hurt me," Lauranna pleaded quietly. 

The bear tilted its head at her, taking in the scars. The bear jerked its head in a gesture that meant for her to follow. She did so and was led around the house. A well was sitting in the garden, the bucket on the ground. The bear nudged the bucket with its snout. 

"Thank you," Lauranna said. 

She grabbed the bucket and lowered it into the well. Drawing it up, she washed herself up as best as possible. The dried blood that hadn't been washed into the wounds was gone, running down her skin. She noticed a white mouse on the edge of the well, watching her. 

"Aren't you a cute little thing?" she said, reaching out one hand. 

The mouse sniffed her hand before climbing onto it. She raised the mouse to her chest and let it sit on her shoulder. She washed the rest of the blood off and grabbed her bag. The bear had disappeared beyond the hedges, most likely to keep watch. Lauranna went behind a large tree and changed into a spare traveling outfit she had in her bag, courtesy of Lady Arwen. Taking her tattered clothing, she left the safety of the hedges. She found a cliff and dropped her ruined outfit over the edge, watching it flutter away. Turning around, she spotted an Orc and Warg watching her. 

"Perfect," she muttered. 

It charged her, the Orc ready to swing his sword. At the last second, she stepped aside and let the pair fall over the cliff. She turned and bolted to the house, pounding on the door. 

"Let me in!" she snapped. 

The door opened, and Kili pulled her in. The door slammed shut behind her, locking. Kili and Fili held the girl tightly in their arms, having been worried out of their minds. 

"Are you okay?" Kili asked. 

"Did the bear hurt you?" Fili asked. 

"Where did you go?"

"When did you change?"

"When did you wash up?"

"Shut up!" Lauranna shouted, effectively making all questions stop. "The bear led me to a well and let me clean up. I changed into the spare outfit Lady Arwen gave me in Rivendell. I'm fine."

"Beorn is a kind man, once you get to know him. It seems he was nice to you. He has always been kind to the females that cross through here, however unlikely that it is," Gandalf said. 

"Well, I did kinda explain why we barged into his house. I said nothing of our actual quest, just that we were being hunted by Azog and were in need of a place to stay," Lauranna told him. 

"Get some sleep. All of you. You will be safe here tonight," Gandalf said. 

"You are sleeping with us," Kili told Lauranna firmly. 

She raised an eyebrow at him, smirking. He caught her look and groaned. 

"Not like that, silly," he said. 

"Good. 'Cause that would be plain weird and creepy," she told him, laughing. 

The three lay down in the hay, Lauranna in between the two boys. They wrapped a protective arm around her as they started to fall asleep. However, Lauranna didn't sleep. She was still awake when Beorn entered the house in the early morning. She spent time with him outside as he cut wood.

"Thank you for last night," she said. 

"Don't mention it. At least you have manners," Beorn replied. 

Their conversation was light and easy, to Lauranna's surprise. When the Dwarves started to come out, she decided to go in. 

"Did you sleep well last night?" Kili asked her as he stood next to her. 

"Fine," she replied. 

"You don't seem like it," Fili noted. 

"Okay. I didn't sleep. I wasn't tired," she snapped. 

Kili pulled her to the area they slept last night, picking up a blanket. 

"You are going to get some sleep," he demanded. 

"I am not tired," she snapped back. 

"Just... try," he said in a softer tone. 

He gave her a hug and kissed her forehead before wrapping the blanket around her. She sighed and lay down on the hay. While the others went out to meet Beorn, get his help with breakfast, and talked, she managed to fall asleep for about thirty minutes. She was woken by Beorn's words. 

"I don't like Dwarves. They're greedy and blind, blind to the lives they deem lesser than their own. Except the girl over there. But Orcs I hate more. What do you need?" 

She got her things ready and walked out. Beorn motioned for her to come with him, which she did. 

"You should know that Mirkwood is very dangerous. If you are not careful, you could die. Take this with you. It will help clear your mind for an hour. Take only one small sip," he instructed, handing her a flask. 

"Thank you for your hospitality, sir," she said, securing the flask to her bag. 

He helped her onto her pony, and she joined the group. 

"What's that?" Bilbo asked, pointing at the flask. 

"Some water," she answered with a shrug. 

"Okay," he said, not questioning it further. 

"Let's go," Thorin instructed. 

With a sigh, Lauranna looked at Beorn's house and the owner one last time before waving and going after the others.


	14. Mirkwood

They reached the outskirts of the forest around midday. The trees looked brown and dead, leaves decaying and ready to fall off. 

"No sign of the Orcs. We have luck on our side," Dwalin said. 

"Set the ponies loose. Let them return to their master," Gandalf told them. 

"This forest feels... sick. As if a disease lays upon it. Is there no way around?" Bilbo asked. 

"Not unless we go two hundred miles north or twice that distance south," Gandalf answered. 

Lauranna sighed, getting her things of the pony she had ridden. It nuzzled her as she spotted the black bear on the rock, watching them from a distance. Lauranna gently pushed her pony in the direction of Beorn's house, but it wouldn't budge. She sighed and turned to look at the bear. It seemed to be thinking. 

"This pony won't leave," she muttered under her breath, looking at the creature. 

"Why?" Kili asked. 

"How am I supposed to know? I don't speak horse."

"It would be funny if you did."

"Not really."

The bear suddenly roared, scaring the pony in front of the girl to move back to the house. 

"There we go," she said, watching it canter away. 

"Not my horse! I need it!" Gandalf called out. 

"You're not leaving us?" Bilbo asked. 

"I would not do this unless I had to. You've changed. You're not the same Hobbit as the one that left the Shire."

"I was going to tell you. I found something in the Goblin tunnels."

"What is it? What did you find?"

"My courage," Bilbo said after a hesitation. 

"Good. That's good. You'll need it," Gandalf said as it started to rain. "This is not the Greenwood of old. The very air is thick with illusion. It will attempt to enter your mind and lead you astray. There is a stream in the forest that holds an enchantment. Do not touch the water. Cross only by the stone bridge. Whatever you do, don't leave the path."

Gandalf mounted his horse and rode off. With a bad feeling, Lauranna followed the Company into the forest. She took a sip of the substance that Beorn had given her. She felt refreshed the second she swallowed. Bilbo looked at her curiously but said nothing. 

"Air. I need air," Bofur muttered. 

"Get above the canopy," Lauranna told him. 

"How?"

"Climb a tree."

"Dwarves don't climb trees," Thorin said. 

"This Dwarf does. I have climbed trees since I was young," Lauranna shot back. 

As they went, the Company seemed to get more and more disoriented. Lauranna kept her mind clear of the disorientation by drinking the liquid every hour. 

"How are you not affected?" Kili slurred. 

"I have a strong will and a strong mind," she answered simply. 

They suddenly stopped, making Lauranna sigh. 

"Why are we stopped?" Fili wondered. 

"We found the bridge," Nori pointed out. 

The stone bridge was crumbled and gone, leaving nothing to cross with. 

"We could try to swim it," Bofur suggested. 

"Didn't you hear Gandalf, you fool? This stream is enchanted," Lauranna reminded him. 

"Doesn't look very enchanting to me."

"We find another way across," Lauranna said, taking the lead. 

"These vines look safe enough," Kili told her, moving to a large group of thick vines next to the bridge. 

"Kili, wait. I will go first," Lauranna called out, stopping him. 

She went over to the vines and was about to get on when she stopped and turned to the others. 

"Come over one at a time. Not all at once," she said. 

They nodded. She pulled herself into the vines and started to climb. She made it to the other side in a matter of seconds. She turned and looked at the others. 

"Father," she called. "Come on."

Bilbo came over, nearly falling in a few times. Lauranna called over the others one by one to make sure it didn't get crowded. Eventually, they were all on solid ground once more. She took the lead and made sure the others were following her. 

"Let's go," Thorin said, turning to the side. 

The Dwarves started to leave the path, Lauranna frowning at him. 

"We are staying on the path, Thorin," Lauranna snapped. 

"This is the path," Thorin replied. 

"THORIN OAKENSHIELD! WAKE UP THIS INSTANT!" Lauranna shouted. 

Her voice seemed to wake everyone up. They jumped and looked at her with wide eyes. Her expression made it look like she was about to murder the next person who tried to go against her orders. 

"You will follow me or I will tie you up and drag you," she hissed angrily. 

"You wouldn't dare," Thorin gasped. 

Lauranna snapped her fingers. Vines shot up and wrapped around the Dwarves' wrists, tying them together. She grabbed the end and started to walk off, pulling the Dwarves with her. She let Bilbo walk on his own, knowing he was smart enough to come along. 

Grumbling, the Dwarves were pulled along on the path. When she stopped suddenly, they grew quiet. 

"Anna?" Kili whispered. 

"Something's here," she replied softly. 

Her head turned from side to side, looking for danger. As she turned around completely, her eyes widened upon seeing an Elf. 

"Great," she mumbled as they were surrounded. 

"Who are you?" a blonde Elf asked, who appeared to be the leader. 

"Lauranna Baggins," she answered easily. 

"What are you doing here?"

"I am guiding these Dwarves through the forest as we have a deadline to meet our relatives in the Iron Hills."

"Why are they tied up?"

"They started to get delusional and go off the path."

"What is your purpose of going through the forest? Answer me quickly, and I will let you go."

"We are going to the Iron Hills to meet our family members. We are supposed to be there in about five days. We can't go around the forest as it is too long. The only way is through it. Forgive us if we have disrupted you at all."

"You carry Elvish weapons. Where did you get them?"

"Lady Arwen of Rivendell gave them to me."

"Why does he carry Orcrist?"

"It was found in a Troll hoard on the Great East Road. Lord Elrond of Rivendell allowed him to keep it."

The blonde Elf seemed to think about it for a bit, frowning. 

"Might I ask your name?" Lauranna asked, startling him. 

"Legolas Greenleaf, son of Thranduil," he replied. 

Thorin growled, causing Lauranna to whip around and hit him angrily. 

"Will you lay off?" she hissed. 

"We will give you what you need, as you seem to need food and rest. Maybe a few supplies," Legolas muttered. 

And so, the Company found themselves being escorted to the Woodland Realm. Hopefully, good things would come of this.


	15. The King of The Woodland Realm

    "My father would like to see you," Legolas said as he held open the door to a large room. 

"She's not going anywhere," Thorin growled lowly. "My daughter is staying here."

"Her last name is Baggins," Legolas said. 

"I grew up with Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit from the Shire. My real father is Thorin Oakenshield. I didn't figure it out until they came to pick me up after all these years," Lauranna lied smoothly. 

Legolas frowned again but said nothing more. He grabbed her arm lightly and tugged her out of the room. He took her before the king on his throne, who looked up as they entered. 

"Who might you be?" Thranduil asked, coming down from his throne. 

Lauranna tilted her head, studying him quickly. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted one of the Elves from earlier, a female. 

"I am Lauranna Baggins, growing up with Bilbo Baggins of the Shire. My real father is Thorin Oakenshield, but I didn't find out until they came to pick me up to go visit our relatives in the Iron Hills," she said. 

"Where did you get your weapons?"

"Lady Arwen of Rivendell. She's a very nice woman, one of the nicest that I've met."

"You are very polite for a Dwarf."

"Thank you."

Thranduil was internally frowning. He had noticed that this girl was not intimidated by him in the slightest, like everyone else who came before him. He glanced over her weapons, noticing the scars on her skin from her fights. 

"Your scars," he started, hoping for a reaction only to receive none. "Where did you get them?"

"From the fights I've gotten into. A group of Trolls from the Ettenmoors near the Great East Road, an Orc pack a little before we reached Rivendell, Goblins in the Misty Mountains, Azog the Defiler once we got out of the tunnels, Beorn the Skin-Changer, and the battle against the forest's enchantment," she stated simply. 

Father and son exchanged a glance. Thranduil returned his focus to the girl in front of him. 

"Legolas, get out your sword," he commanded. 

Legolas did as he was told, confused. 

"Lauranna, fight him. If you win, I will give you what you and your companions need, providing an escort out of the forest and to Esgorath," Thranduil said. "If he wins, you stay in my dungeons with your little Dwarven friends."

"You promise to keep your word. If you don't, I will come for your head," Lauranna hissed and made the first move to hit Legolas. 

Legolas wasn't expecting her to make the first move, so he was caught off guard. Lauranna's attacks were swift and strong. Legolas had to exert more energy to get to her level, her height being her advantage. Legolas was a good fighter, but he had never really fought someone shorter than himself. 

Lauranna was not holding back in the slightest, wanting to get out of this stupid kingdom as fast as possible. When she started fighting Legolas, she made sure no one was going to interfere. When she saw one of the guards move, she was instantly ready to turn on him. 

The guard reached out to grab the girl only for her to whip around and slash at his head. He jumped backward in surprise. He pulled out his own sword and joined. It was now two against one. 

Thranduil was watching in interest at this young girl, who easily fought his son and one of his guards. When the fight ended, she had two sword in her hands, one pointed at Legolas's throat, the other at the guard's. The Elves' weapons were either on the floor or had been thrown away with such force that it stuck in the wall.

"That good enough?" Lauranna asked, looking up at the king. 

"Bring the Dwarves here," Thranduil growled, not happy. 

"Why do you want these gems anyway?" she suddenly asked him. 

Thranduil looked at her in surprise. She knew of the gems?

"There were a gift from my wife," he replied coldly. 

"Where they the only thing she left you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Would you go to war over a handful of gems when you have something more valuable than them?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Those gems weren't the only thing your wife left you. She left you a son. Tell me, which would she have you value more."

Thranduil was silent, stunned. His normal stoic expression was replaced by shock. He was unsure of what to say now. 

Legolas looked at his father, wondering what he would say to that. Did he value gems or him more?

Lauranna knew she had Thranduil trapped. She knew he would have to pick. If he chose wrong, Legolas would get upset. 

"She would have me value Legolas more," he eventually whispered. 

"And do you?" Lauranna asked. 

Here, Thranduil fell silent and refused to meet her eyes. He knew he hadn't been the father he should be. Ever since his wife died, he was never the same. 

Lauranna sighed and shook her head, drawing the attention to her. 

"Your wife is still with you, whether or not you can see her. Loved ones stay in our hearts forever, Thranduil," she said softly, looking up at him. 

Thranduil saw the gentleness in her eyes, knowing she was trying to make him feel better. He sometimes felt like he was being watched, but he never saw anyone. If what this girl said was true, then it was the spirit of his wife watching over him. 

"If you would like, I will make sure that the gems get returned to their rightful owner," she added. 

Thranduil studied this curious creature in front of him, sensing something was different. 

"Do you have any special powers?" he asked. 

She smiled at him, her eyes sparkling with mischief. 

"I can control the elements. I have a power that has not been seen before. In fact," she paused for a second, head tilted. "Your gems are on the way now."

Five seconds later, a small chest flew in and landed in her arms. She lifted the lid and let the light of the shining gems enter the room. 

Thranduil's eyes widened. He carefully took the chest from her arms and ran his fingers lightly over the gems. He smiled at her softly. 

"Thank you, Lauranna Durin," he said. 

He handed the chest to the Elven woman who had been standing there. 

"Take these to my chamber, please, Tauriel," he said. 

She nodded, bowed, and left the room. A minute later, the Dwarves were pulled into the room. 

"Lauranna, are you okay?" Kili asked instantly. 

"I'm fine, Kee," she answered lightly. 

"I will let you go. What do you need?" Thranduil asked. 

All eyes turned to him in surprise and confusion. Lauranna spoke for the Company. 

"It would be appreciated if we could have food, warm clothes, and water. I'm sure our weapons are fine," she replied. 

Thranduil nodded and waved his hand to some of his servants that had come with them. 

"And it would also be nice to have an escort out of the forest. When we were found in the forest, my companions were almost led astray by the enchantment in the trees. I would advise to you that you keep your forest cared for," Lauranna added. 

Thranduil nodded as Tauriel entered. 

"Tauriel, Legolas, you will escort the Dwarves out of the forest," Thranduil said. 

The two Elves nodded and got ready. Lauranna smiled and nodded her head in appreciation. 

"Thank you, Lord Thranduil," she said with a slight bow. 

Thranduil merely nodded his head in acknowledgement. While they were waiting for Legolas and Tauriel to get ready, servants came up and handed provisions to the Dwarves. The Dwarves were very surprised to be helped by the Elves that turned their backs on them, but accepted when they got angry glares from their princess. 

Legolas and Tauriel came back in and nodded to their king before turning to the Dwarves. 

"Let's go," Legolas stated. 

"If you try to lead us to death, be prepared to come with us," Lauranna threatened. 

Legolas nodded in understanding, recognizing the threat and knowing full well that she would carry it out. They left the kingdom and began their journey to the edge of the forest, Lauranna keeping a close eye on Legolas and Tauriel. Just in case.


	16. Entering the Mountain

    They reached the edge of the lake, seeing the bargeman waiting for them and the barrels. Moments later, the barrels floated into sight. Dwarves and Elves helped the man get the barrels onto the barge, much to the bargeman's appreciation. 

"It is the will of King Thranduil that you allow these Dwarves to come with you," Legolas said, holding out a piece of parchment. "Should the Master of Laketown make any arguments, this should shut him up."

The man took the paper and ushered the Company onto the boat. 

"Thank you both," Lauranna said to the Elves. 

Legolas and Tauriel smiled at the girl as she slowly disappeared into the mist. 

"I like her. She's a fighter," Tauriel observed. 

"That she is. I like her too," Legolas stated. 

The two of them walked off, but not before they realized that Orcs were hunting the group. Tauriel grew concerned for the Company and the girl that went with them. 

Across the lake, Lauranna sat near the man while the Dwarves were bickering amongst each other. 

"What's your name?" the girl asked. 

"Bard," the man answered. "And you?"

"Lauranna. I grew up with Bilbo, the Hobbit. I didn't know I was a Dwarf until a wizard, Gandalf, showed up a few days prior to a meeting of Dwarves. Thorin Oakenshield is my father, making Fili and Kili my cousins. To say I was surprised would be an understatement."

"Oakenshield? As in the King Under the Mountain?" 

"The only one. We're here to reclaim the Mountain from Smaug. And if we succeed, which I know we will, all will share in the wealth and riches of Erebor. Should Thorin fall to the sickness of gold, I will take charge of the Mountain and give everyone what they deserve."

Bard nodded his head thoughtfully. By now, Lauranna knew that she was never going to survive the war that was coming. She would give her life to protect her family. And one day, she would see them again. She would be there to save the line of Durin. To keep the bloodline running. She would accompany them to the top of Ravenhill. A plan was in her mind. 

She would go with them to Ravenhill. Make sure that no one entered that tower. Draw out Azog and Bolg, when he arrived. Fight them until they died. Their devastating blows would kill her in the end, but she would live long enough to give them the carving she had been working on for the entire journey. She knew who was going to kill her, how she was going to die, when she was going to die, yet she was not bothered by the fact that her death was creeping ever closer with every passing minute. 

"Anna?" Kili asked, waving a hand in front of her face. 

Lauranna blinked and looked at him to see the others watching in concern. She smiled at them and stood up. She moved to the side of the boat and swung her legs over it. Her feet touched the water but didn't sink in. Instead, she walked on top of the water. She turned and looked at Bilbo. 

"Father, come here," she called. 

Bilbo trusted his daughter with his whole heart and stepped onto the water to walk over to her. When he didn't sink into the water, he smiled slightly. He walked all the way over to Lauranna and hugged her. 

"Come on, you all," Lauranna said. 

Kili was the first to step after them. He was unsteady at first, feeling the water move beneath his feet. He got used to it and moved swiftly to his cousin. Fili followed, with Thorin right behind him. One by one, the Company joined the girl on the water. She led the way fearlessly toward the Mountain, guiding them through the mist. 

A wave came from nowhere and knocked them all off their feet, except for Lauranna. They started to sink into the water, letting fear overtake them. She brought them to their feet with a sad expression. 

"Do you not trust me?" Lauranna asked. 

They stared at her. She sighed and walked off, giving them no choice but to follow. They reached the edge of the lake easily and made their way up the side of the Mountain, reaching the door. 

"Now we wait for the moon," Lauranna said. 

"The moon?" Kili asked. 

And so she explained. The last moon of autumn was the 'last light' in the hidden text of the map. The Dwarves knew better than to argue with her. So they sat and waited. When the time came, she took the key from Thorin and inserted it into the lock, turning it and pushing the door open. She wandered in and strode toward the treasure room. 

"Where are you going?" Thorin asked. 

"Getting the Arkenstone," she replied. 

"It's too dangerous to go in there," he argued. 

"You're either going to come with me or shut up and stay here," Lauranna snapped. 

She disappeared around a corner and was followed by Bilbo. She stopped him and sent him back. This was something she had to do herself. 

She planned to befriend Smaug and get his help in the war. She only hoped it would work.


	17. Meeting Smaug

    Lauranna strode into the treasure room and took a deep breath. She searched the air in the room to find a large heat signature nearby. She started up the mound of gold, not bothering to keep quiet. She wanted the dragon awake, after all. She found Smaug's head and scooped gold off to reveal his eye. And it opened. 

    "Hello, Smaug," Lauranna said politely. 

    The dragon lifted its head out of the sea of gold and regarded the girl with a cool gaze. 

    "What brings you here, Dwarf?" Smaug asked. 

    "I wish to be your friend. I am afraid that an army of Orcs marches on teh Mountain to steal its gold. I wish to help you defend the Mountain. If you agree to help me and get rid of the Orcs, I will give you the guarantee of life. Please, Smaug. Help us," Lauranna pleaded. 

    The dragon tilted its head and lowered it to look at the girl before him. While he could just kill her now and get it over with, he felt that he should help her. He was not entirely cold-blooded. This Dwarf reminded him of his sister, the sister he loved. 

    "For my sister, I will help you. You remind me of her," Smaug said. 

    Lauranna smiled slightly. She bowed to the dragon and was about to speak when parts of the ceiling started to fall. An earthquake. 

    Smaug leaned over the girl and shielded her with his wings. The rocks bounced off of his wings and caused no damage to the girl. 

    Lauranna was crouching against the gold, when her hand brushed a large white jewel. The Arkenstone. She pocketed it and waited for the rocks to stop. When. They did, she stood up and smiled. 

    "On my back," Smaug said. 

    He held one wing down and let her climb up onto his neck. She held one of his spikes and smiled as he took off. He burst out of the Mountain and circled it, looking for the army. Instead, he spotted the Dwarves near the door. 

    He landed and raised his head up to look at the terrified Dwarves. Lauranna moved to stand on Smaug's head, smiling and waving at them. She was about to say that everything was fine when an arrow took her shoulder and made her topple off of Smaug's head. The dragon quickly ducked his head to catch the girl and set her on the rocks next to the Dwarves. Enraged, he turned and attacked the Orc who had shot her. He turned back and let his flames heal her. He allowed her to climb back onto him and flew off toward Gundabad. When he saw the army waiting to attack, he blew out a stream of fire, incinerating most of the army quickly. But Bolg had another thing in mind. 

    An arrow leapt from the bow and slammed into Smaug's one weakness. Lauranna used her powers to fly up and glared at Bolg angrily. Smaug's body had taken out the last of the army except Bolg. Lauranna flew off toward the Mountain, sad and proud at once. 

    When she landed alone, the Dwarves surrounded her and asked her what was wrong. She shook her head and ignored them all. When asked if she had found the Arkenstone, she denied it. 

    Thorin seemed content with the answer and ordered everyone inside the Mountain. The door closed behind them all, leaving them in darkness. But Lauranna lit it up with fire from her hands. 

    "This way," she said quietly. 

    She led them through the entire Mountain until they reached the throne of Erebor with its cracked stone. Lauranna knew she would drain her energy quickly but she thought nothing of it. She rebuilt Erebor. 

    The stone was fixed, railings strengthened, bodies vanished, braziers lit, tapestries re-sewn, etc. Everything was restored to its former glory. The wasteland outside was repaired and birds could be heard chirping happily. It was as though nothing had ever happened to the Mountain. 

    Kili launched himself forward in time to catch his cousin. Fili moved to her other side and helped her stand up. 

    "Get her to a room. She's done too much already," Thorin said, concern dripping from his voice. 

    Balin led the way through Erebor, the brothers supporting their cousin. Kili's hand brushed her pocket as they lay her down in a bed. When Balin left, Kili pulled out the Arkenstone. 

    "You did find it," he breathed. 

    "Don't give it to Thorin. He is already taken by dragon sickness. Give him this, and you will never be able to get Thorin Oakenshield back. Don't tell him I have this. Keep this hidden. If you don't, you will regret it dearly," Lauranna told them. 

    Fili and Kili exchanged a worried glance. Never get him back? That didn't sound too good. Kili slipped it back into the pocket he found it in, promising not to tell a word of this to Thorin. Lauranna nodded and slipped off into sleep. 

    The brothers looked at each other, not sure what to do. But they knew one thing. They would never tell Thorin who had the Arkenstone.


	18. Threat of War

The next morning, Lauranna woke up to see Kili and Fili watching her. She sat up and winced at her sore muscles. 

“You use too much of your power, cousin,” Fili stated. 

Lauranna rolled her eyes and swung her legs out of bed. She forced herself to walk to the door and opened it. Thorin was waiting. 

“I’m glad to see you are alright,” he said, not seeming too concerned about her. 

He was dressed as a king, crown resting on his brow. Lauranna said nothing to him, meeting his level gaze with a cold one. She nodded stiffly and bowed slightly to him. 

“No need for a princess to bow to her king,” Thorin told her, ignoring Fili and Kili. 

“No need for a king to act like he is above everyone else,” Lauranna snapped back. 

With that, she strode off, Fili and Kili scuttling after her. They stood on either side of her as though they were her personal guards. 

“Morning, you three,” Dwalin greeted when they reached the dining hall. 

“What’s up with you?” Dori asked. 

“Thorin,” Fili replied. 

There was silence. Balin sighed and shook his head. 

“He’s probably going to target Lauranna more than anyone else. She may or may not have said, and I quote, ‘no need for a king to act like he is above everyone else,’” Kili muttered. 

“Oh dear,” Balin sighed. 

Lauranna was stiff, angry. Beneath her cool facade, she was seething in fury. How dare he act like she was not on his level?! Like she was inferior?!

“Has he eaten yet?” Lauranna asked. 

“Not yet. He was waiting for you,” Bilbo said. 

Lauranna nodded and sat down, choosing the chair she knew Thorin would go for. When Thorin entered the room, he made his way to his daughter and glared down at her. 

“This chair is taken. You may get yourself another one,” Lauranna said, not even looking up. 

Thorin reached out to her to pull her out of the chair. Lauranna grabbed his wrist and twisted his arm behind his back painfully. 

“I will repeat my statement. This chair is taken. You may get yourself another one,” she hissed. 

She released him and resumed her meal. If Thorin was not talking to her or interacting with her, then she ignored him. And he hated it. 

“I am the King here. You will listen to me,” Thorin boomed. 

“You were always the king. People might listen to you more often if you aren’t a power-hungry fool. Now, shut up and get a different chair,” Lauranna snapped. 

Thorin drew his sword and was about to attack her when she flicked her wrist and sent him flying backward. Lauranna stood up so furiously that the chair went flying back. 

Lauranna’s appearance flickered and changed. Her hair seemed to have dancing flames while her eyes swirled with different colors. Her fingers were encased in fire, water, earth, and wind. In her hands grew a large flickering light of power. It transformed into a sword. 

“Thorin Oakenshield, you will listen to me now or suffer! You will not act as though you are all high and mighty while your mind is overthrown by gold! That gold is cursed! I will not be called your daughter if you continue to act this way! Get a grip on your life and gather your mind! Because if you don’t get your right mind back by the time the war breaks out, I will murder you myself!” Lauranna snarled, her voice radiating authority. 

She turned back to normal and sat down, eating her breakfast silently. She ignored all the stares she was getting, even from Bilbo. She wasn’t even sure what had just happened. Her power seemed to have surged through her faster and a lot more rough than she had expected. She didn’t even know if she could control it if it happened again. When the war came about, maybe she could control the power enough to concentrate on who she hit. 

The others were wondering what war she was talking about. They didn’t like the sound of a war. Could if be a war on the Mountain to gain the position and wealth? Or a war to kill the Company of Thorin Oakenshield? Whatever war she was talking about, they had to be prepared. And they weren’t going to let anyone harm her. Although, Thorin might try to kill her himself. And they swore to not let even Thorin harm her.


	19. Taking Charge

Two days of tension later, an army of Elves arrived with the men of Laketown, who were demanding enough money to rebuild Esgorath. Before Lauranna could do anything, Thorin started yelling at them to go away. An army of Dwarves appeared on the crest of a hill. The war was about to start when Lauranna took control. 

“ENOUGH!”

Her voice carried over the entire field, effectively stopping everyone in their tracks. Heads turned to look at the angry young woman on the rampart. Thranduil smiled at her, as did Bard. Dain, though, didn’t know who she was, and therefore, hated her. He growled lowly at her and was about to speak when he was rudely cut off. 

“LET ME SPEAK!” Lauranna snapped, hitting Thorin over the head and knocking him out. ”I will give you what you deserve. Bard, you will get enough gold to rebuild your mens’ lives. Thranduil, you will get some gold for coming here. Dain, I am Thorin’s daughter, so you might want to lower your weapon and calm down.”

Thranduil and Bard got off their horses, or elk, and walked up to the gates. Kili and Fili had helped her gather everything that the two leaders needed without Thorin noticing. The Dwarves helped their princess get the chest of gold to Thranduil and knocked down the gate to create a bridge. The Dwarves hauled over wagons of gold and gave them to Bard and his men. 

“Take your offerings and in return, help us protect the Mountain,” Lauranna whispered. “An army of Orcs march on it to gain its wealth and position. Bard, get your people out of the city of Dale and get them somewhere safe. Leave your men behind to protect them should the Orcs find them. Thranduil, can you help out with that? Dain, get down here, please!”

Dain grumbled but obliged, standing next to Thranduil and Bard, watching this young girl give strategic orders to him and the others. 

“Where should I take my people?” Bard asked. 

“Back to Lake-Town, on shore. That way you won’t be to be surrounded entirely and you can find boats and other floating objects if need be. Thranduil, maybe you and Dain should send a few of your warriors to help them, as Bard’s men aren’t exactly trained warriors. The rest of us will make our stand in front of the Mountain. I will have the Company wait for Thorin to wake up and make sure he’s in his right mind before joining the battle. You have your orders, now go carry them out,” Lauranna dismissed them. 

Dain, upon seeing Thranduil and Bard bow to her, did the same before smiling at her. 

“You might be his daughter after all,” he said. 

Lauranna smirked and shook her head before returning to the Mountain with the Company. Thorin was stirring but not entirely awake. 

“What happened?” Thorin mumbles, his eyes opening blearily. 

“Not much. I knocked you out. Are you back in your right mind?” Lauranna said casually. 

“What did I do?” Thorin asked. 

“Nearly got a giant war started,” his daughter replied. 

Thorin got up and flung the crown off his head. Lauranna smiled and hugged him. 

“It’s good to have the grumpy, stubborn-headed, mean Thorin Oakenshield back once more,” Lauranna whispered. 

“Thank you for waking me up,” Thorin told her. 

“Not at all, Father,” she replied. 

The Company cheered at the word, realizing that Thorin had earned his place as her father. Bilbo smiled sadly at her, believing her to choose to stay with Thorin instead after the war was over. Little did he know, she wouldn’t survive the war at all.


	20. The Beginning of the End

polyvore.com/war/set?id=232509701

Lauranna watched the proceedings with a critical eye from her spot on the top of the now destroyed wall. The Company watched with her, examining her work. 

“Not bad at all,” Thorin complimented. 

Lauranna smirked. 

“Well, I learned from the best how to demand things of others,” she said with a shrug. 

Thorin chuckled and put an arm around his daughter’s shoulders, feeling her lean into him. Fili and Kili smiled at the happy sight before them, knowing that their cousin fully accepted Thorin as her father. Lauranna’s plan had been worked out before the army of Orcs arrived. And when they did, the Dwarves and Elves stood before the Mountain, waiting for Lauranna’s orders. 

Thranduil and Dain were down below, watching the girl as she surveyed the army marching toward them. She frowned for a split second but opened her mouth right before Thorin shouted orders down. 

“Arrow storm!” Lauranna cried. 

The Elves instantly sent a cloud of arrows flying toward the Orcs, taking down many at a time. 

“Archers behind, swordsmen in front! Archers, continue fire!”

The two armies backing the Mountain up did as they were commanded by their female leader. The Orcs continued to fall as the arrows flew at them, but they reached the front lines and started killing all who didn’t defend in time. The arrows continued to fly and take down more. Thranduil and Dain joined the Company on the walls. 

“You two hold the Mountain, don’t let them enter it at all. I will take the Company up to Ravenhill to kill Azog and Bolg once and for all,” Lauranna ordered. “Can I trust you two to work together and not against each other?”

Thranduil and Dain nodded and bowed to her, before giving her their blessing of safe passage and watching her leave with her companions. 

As she strode out onto the battlefield, a hush seemed to settle over her ears, blocking out sound. Her eyes flashed a golden color filled with power. Her war outfit transformed into an orange dress with black embellishments above her waist. One side hung down lower than the rest of the hem. From her back sprouted large grey wings, fourteen feet in total. On her feet were no longer boots, they were orange flats. In her hand appeared a sword of golden flame. But it always seemed to change from orange, to blue, to green, to white. She was no longer just Lauranna Alea Durin. She was a goddess of power and elements who would stop at nothing until her mission was complete. 

Fili and Kili stared at their cousin in shock seconds before she engaged in battle, sending enemies flying backward in shock and pain. Her sword cut down any foe before her, including giant trolls bigger than herself. Her power swept across the battlefield, strengthening her troops as they rallied to her and fought harder and faster than the Orcs. The Company had no trouble keeping an eye on her with her flaming orange dress and massive wings. She turned her head to Ravenhill and took off, her wings spreading wide to carry herself off the ground. Due to the lack of wind, she created it to get her a head start. The Company jumped onto the backs of rams and followed. 

Azog watched in rage as his army was effectively being cut down by Elves and Dwarves. The Men had completely disappeared from the fight, and he had to send some troops to hunt them down. And the one giving the orders? She was coming right now, a look of pure anger and hatred on her face as she flew toward him and Bolg. Azog smirked. Time to get revenge on Oakenshield. 

“You dare threaten my home and my family and friends?!” Lauranna shouted angrily, landing a few feet away. 

“What does it matter to you? You shouldn’t be here, little girl,” Azog snarled. 

“I am not just a little girl! I am Lauranna Alea Durin, daughter of Thorin Oakenshield and descendent of Durin! You will not take away my homeland!” she shouted, her wings bristling in anger. 

Azog suddenly lunged at her, grabbing her wing and throwing her into the rocks beside her. There was a snap, and her wing broke. Lauranna got up and threw fire at him, keeping an eye on Bolg at the same time. Azog got his arm burned badly, nearly dropping his wreaking ball thing. However, he managed to hold onto it and swung it at her. Lauranna dropped to the ice to avoid it, the wind whistling over her. When Azog backed out, she turned to Bolg in time to block his strike with her blade. Her dress and wings were gone, replaced by her war outfit. She fought bravely as she remembered her family and homeland. 

“You will not take them from me,” she whispered angrily. 

With a last slash, Bolg’s head went flying over the frozen waterfall. She turned to Azog just as his sword slashed her side, causing blood to pour from it. Lauranna could hear shouts for her to move, but she ignored them. It was the Company, she knew. And she also knew she wasn’t going to survive, no matter what she did. She ran right at Azog, who welcomed her with a laugh. She flipped up and over him, using her last energy to drive her sword into his back and pin him to the ice, and she waited until he was dead. She flipped off and landed near the Company. 

Fili and Kili were watching, terrified, as their cousin fought Azog one last time. They could see the blood pouring from the wound and wanted to run out to help. But before they could move, she drove her sword through Azog’s back, flipping over him and pinning him to the ice. She didn’t move until she was sure he was dead. Then she flipped off of him and landed nearby. 

Thorin watched in horror and shock at the skill his daughter possessed to be able to defeat Azog. Then his mind flashed back to the moment when she was injured and still managed to hold Azog off. He felt pride well up in him as he saw her once more, landing in front of him.


	21. Chapter 21

polyvore.com/funeral/set?id=233632475

 

Lauranna landed on her feet after killing Azog and Bolg. She was dying as she looked out over the battle field, knowing it would be her last fight. With a sigh, she started to sing. 

"Oh-ohhhh-oh-ohhhh

Oh-ohhhh-oh-ohhhh

Oh-ohhhh-oh-ohhhh-ohhhhh

Oh-ohhhh-oh-ohhhh

Oh-ohhhh-oh-ohhhh

Oh-ohhhh-oh-ohhhh-ohhhhh

This is an anthem for the homesick, for the beaten,

The lost, the broke, the defeated.

A song for the heartsick, for the standbys,

Living life in the shadow of a goodbye.

Do you remember when we learned how to fly?

We'd play make-believe; we were young and had time on our side.

You're stuck on the ground,

Got lost, can't be found.

Just remember that you're still alive.

I'll carry you home.

No, you're not alone.

Keep marching on,

This is worth fighting for,

You know we've all got battle scars.

You've had enough,

But just don't give up.

Stick to your guns,

You are worth fighting for.

You know we've all got battle scars.

Keep marching on.

This is a call to the soldiers, the fighters,

The young, the innocent, and righteous.

We've got a little room to grow.

Better days are near,

Hope is so much stronger than fear.

So if you jump, kid, don't be scared to fall.

We'll be kings and queens in this dream, all for one, one for all.

You can light up the dark,

There's a fire in your heart,

Burning brighter than ever before.

I'll carry you home.

No, you're not alone.

Keep marching on,

This is worth fighting for,

You know we've all got battle scars.

You've had enough,

But just don't give up.

Stick to your guns,

You are worth fighting for.

You know we've all got battle scars.

Keep marching on.

On and on, like we're living on a broken record.

Hope is strong, but misery's a little quicker.

Sit, and we wait, and we drown there,

Thinking, "Why bother playing when it's unfair?"

They say life's a waste, I say they lack belief.

They tell me luck will travel, I tell 'em that's why I've got feet.

Left, right, left, right,

Moving along to the pulse of a heartbeat.

This could be the last chance you have to fly.

Do you like the ground? Want it to pass you by?

Man, you had it all when you were just a kid.

Do you even remember who you were back then?

What do you want in life? Will you be twice as strong?

What would you sacrifice? What are you waiting on?

Don't stop, march on.

I'll carry you home.

No, you're not alone.

Keep marching on,

This is worth fighting for,

You know we've all got battle scars.

You've had enough,

But just don't give up.

Stick to your guns,

You are worth fighting for.

You know we've all got battle scars.

Keep marching on.

Oh-ohhhh-oh-ohhhh

Oh-ohhhh-oh-ohhhh

Oh-ohhhh-oh-ohhhh-ohhhhh

Oh-ohhhh-oh-ohhhh

Oh-ohhhh-oh-ohhhh

Oh-ohhhh-oh-ohhhh-ohhhhh

Keep marching on."

As soon as she finished that one, she sang another. 

"I saw the light fade from the sky.

On the wind I heard a sigh.

As the snowflakes cover

My fallen brothers,

I will say this last goodbye.

Night is now falling

So ends this day.

The road is now calling,

And I must away.

Over hill and under tree,

Through lands where never light has shone,

By silver streams that run down to the sea.

Under cloud, beneath the stars,

Over snow and winter's morn,

I turn at last to paths that lead home.

And though where the road then takes me,

I cannot tell.

We came all this way,

But now comes the day

To bid you farewell,

Many places I have been.

Many sorrows I have seen.

But I don't regret,

Nor will I forget

All who took that road with me.

Night is now falling

So ends this day.

The road is now calling

And I must away.

Over hill, and under tree,

Through lands where never light has shone,

By silver streams that run down to the sea.

To these memories I will hold.

With your blessing I will go

To turn at last to paths that lead home.

And though where the road then takes me,

I cannot tell.

We came all this way,

But now comes the day

To bid you farewell.

I bid you all a very fond farewell."

Lauranna sat down on rock and closed her eyes. Kili and Fili ran over to her, followed by Thorin and the rest of the Company. Kili grabbed Lauranna by the shoulder, shaking her gently. 

"Anna, come on. Stay with us," he pleaded. 

"You know I can't. Remember that dream I had near the beginning of the quest where I had to consult Gandalf?" she asked. "It involved the three of you. Where Azog killed Fili and Thorin, and Bolg killed you. I changed that. I couldn't let you three die. I knew I was never meant to survive this quest, Kee. You have earned the project I was working on during the journey. Here," she said, pulling out the block of wood. 

Only, it wasn't a block of wood. It was an amazingly detailed sculpture of the Company. Thorin was in the middle with Fili and Kili on either side. Bilbo was next to Kili, and the others fell into place. 

"No. Anna, please stay. You can't leave us like this," Fili whispered. 

"The ones that love us never really leave us. And you can always find them in here," she replied, putting her hand over Fili's heart. 

She smiled sadly at her family and friends as she closed her eyes for the last time. The one most affected by her death was Kili. He had grown very attached to the girl. 

The funeral was held four days later, deep in the mountain. Kili and Fili stood on either side of Thorin, the king. All present were crying, even those that never met her before. Seeing the ones who cared about her, loved her, crying made everyone else cry as well. 

"Farewell, Lauranna Alea Durin. May your memory never fade," Thorin said in a clear but shaking voice. 

"May your memory never fade," the crowd repeated. 

The crowd dispersed. Later that night, Kili could be found sitting near her as she lay on her burial table. He hadn't stopped crying since the funeral, his eyes red and bloodshot. He had run out of tears to cry, but that didn't stop the dry sobs racking his body. Fili came down a few minutes later, having been looking for his brother. 

"Kee, I've been looking everywhere for you," he said upon spotting his brother. 

"Not everywhere," Kili mumbled. 

Fili sighed and walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Kili suddenly turned to his brother and buried his face in his chest, sobbing. Fili wrapped his arms around his baby brother, caught off guard. Kili hadn't done this in years, but he understood it was a sad time. Fili picked his brother up into his arms and carried him to his room. Laying Kili on his bed, Fili placed the sculpture on the bedside table. He turned to his own room when he was stopped by a voice. 

"Stay?" Kili asked, sounding like a little Dwarfling that had had a bad nightmare. 

Fili froze and turned to his brother, seeing him watching him with hopeful eyes. He knew he couldn't say no, so he walked back over and lay next to him. Kili snuggled up next to him, Fili wrapping his arms around him. Smiling slightly, the older brother kissed the younger one on the forehead, earning a small smile in return. Together, the sons of Durin fell asleep, haunted by nightmares. 

Thorin entered his nephews' room to see the two of them curled up. He spotted the wood carving on the table and smiled slightly. Dis was on her way to the mountain from the Blue Mountains. She was excited to see her family again. She actually arrived a few hours later, the brothers still not awake. She had ridden hard and fast nonstop since she got the letter. She was led to Thorin, who took her to her sons. She smiled upon seeing them curled up together. It was then that Kili jerked awake from the worst nightmare yet. 

"Anna!" he cried out, waking Fili in the process. 

Fresh tears made their way down Kili's face as he clung to his brother tightly. 

"What happened?" Dis asked. 

Both brothers turned to see their mother standing in the doorway with their uncle. Dis walked into the room, concerned. 

"Who's Anna?" she asked softly, knowing it was a sensitive topic by Kili's reaction. 

"Lauranna was my daughter," Thorin answered before either brother could. 

Dis looked shocked as she turned to him. Thorin smiled slightly. 

"Was?" Dis asked. 

"She died protecting the three of us," he explained. 

Dis' expression went from shocked and confused to downright horrified. She turned on her heel and took off in the direction of the burial tombs. Thorin followed her, trying to stop her. Kili and Fili had merely watched the two as they talked and then ran. 

"It's alright, Kee. I won't let anything happen to you," Fili whispered. 

"Can you save me from my nightmares?" Kili asked. 

Fili didn't answer. Kili expected that and leaned against him. They sat in silence for a few minutes before drifting off to a dreamless sleep. Kili woke up first and went to a secret place he had found the day before so he could cry alone. He sat there, looking out over the land spread in front of the mountain. 

"I want to die," he muttered to himself. "I want to join you, Anna. You were like a sister to me. And now you're gone."

"If you die, you'll have to take me with you," a voice said. 

Kili turned his head to see Fili. His brother walked in and sat next to him. 

"I would prefer for neither of us to die, but if you do, I will follow," Fili murmured. 

He pulled Kili close to him, letting him cry softly into his chest. Fili hummed a lullaby he used to sing to his baby brother when he couldn't sleep, and it seemed to calm Kili down a bit. Both knew they would have to live on without Lauranna. One day they would see her again. Until then, they would live their lives to the fullest, knowing it is what she would've wanted them to do. 

For the rest of their lives, the brothers thought of her every day, never knowing she was watching over them. They kept the wooden sculpture on a high shelf, in sight. They looked at it every day, remembering that day that she had given it to them. Kili and Fili told their children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren her story. She was happy for them moving past her death but never forgetting her. Her memory never did fade from Middle-Earth. She became a legend. 

This is the story of the daughter of Thorin Oakenshield, and she was the greatest legend known to all. Her memory will live in the stars and the hearts of the people of Middle-Earth for all eternity, her legend passed from generation to generation.

 

Long live Lauranna Alea Durin

 

A/N: The songs are Battle Scars by Paradise Fears and The Last Goodbye by Billy Boyd

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The songs are Battle Scars by Paradise Fears and The Last Goodbye by Billy Boyd


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